Region Archives: Canada East

WENDAKE, QC – The Assembly of First Nations Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL) is pleased with yesterday’s meeting between representatives of several First Nations and the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Steven Guilbeault, and would like to express its support and collaboration in the implementation of an emergency order to protect boreal caribou habitat in Quebec. The AFNQL agrees with Minister Guilbeault on the Quebec government’s inaction over the past several years, and on the need to take action to protect the caribou. The AFNQL considers the comments made by Benoît Charrette, Minister of the Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, unacceptable and aberrant, affirming that the Quebec government has multiplied its efforts and is more motivated than ever to act to protect this species.

The Quebec forest fire prevention agency (SOPFEU) is issuing a call for caution to the population of Eastern Quebec, due to the high risk of forest fires over the next few days. According to SOPFEU, weather conditions mean that the risk of forest fires will be particularly high over the next few days on the North Shore, in the Lower St. Lawrence and in the Gaspé Peninsula. As of Thursday morning, the fire risk had already reached the “extreme” level, the highest, in these regions. “When SOPFEU issues a call for caution, it means that weather forecasts predict that conditions will not only be conducive to fire outbreaks, but will also favour high-intensity fires that can spread rapidly,” reads a news release. SOPFEU says it is monitoring the situation very closely, anticipating the outbreak of several new fires over the next few days. 

Steven Guilbeault

Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is recommending the adoption of an emergency decree to protect the boreal caribou in Quebec as some herds cross the “threshold of near-disappearance.” The Pipmuacan, Val-d’Or and Charlevoix woodland herds could soon be subject to federally imposed protection measures. In a letter addressed to Quebec Environment Minister Benoit Charette, Guilbeault writes that he intends to recommend federal intervention to cabinet this week. ….The minister presented these results following an analysis carried out by his department over the past year, at the request of some Indigenous communities. In his letter to Charette, Guilbeault points to the forestry industry, saying logging and the network of multi-use roads are among the activities that, to date, have “contributed most to habitat disturbance.” …Charette responded to Guilbeault’s letter saying he “deplores” the federal government’s “relentlessness” in this file.

As crews fighting seven active wildfires in Labrador get some help from rainfall, Premier Andrew Furey says Newfoundland and Labrador has all the resources it needs to battle the blazes. With four water bombers in Labrador, Furey told reporters Tuesday, the province has adequate resources for this year’s fire season but there’s room to grow. …Provincial forest fire duty officer Bryan Oke said there are four water bombers, five helicopters and 25 crews in Labrador, with additional resources on the way. …Premier Furey told reporters he spoke with crews on the ground in Labrador on Monday and commended them for their work. “I think we can develop a centre of excellence in firefighting services here … to provide support not just to Newfoundland and Labrador, but to eastern Canada.” The province’s plans includes getting its fifth water bomber, which has been out of service since 2018, back in the air.

Ottawa/Gatineau, ON – The Canadian Woodlands Forum is excited to announce that registration is now open for its flagship event, DEMO International®, to be held outside the Ottawa/Gatineau area in the beautiful region of Venosta, Quebec, from September 19-21, 2024. This world-class event, occurring only every four years, will mark the 14th edition of DEMO International®. Over the course of its 55-year history, DEMO International® has evolved into one of North America’s largest and most unique ‘live, in-woods’ forestry equipment shows. This year’s host is SBC Cedar, which operates sawmills in Quebec and New Brunswick. Kick off the week with the leading two-day DEMO International Technical Conference on September 17 & 18 at the Delta Hotels Ottawa City Centre, Ottawa, ON. This conference is a must-attend event for industry professionals, researchers, and stakeholders passionate about forestry innovation and sustainable practices.

A Cochrane, Ont. company has added a Black Hawk helicopter to its fleet, which it hopes to use to fight forest fires. Todd Caliaezzi, the president of Expedition Helicopters, says he purchased the military helicopter because of its speed and carrying capacity. “Typical aircraft now, on route to a fire, will fly to that fire at 100 to 120 knots,” he told Radio-Canada. “The further the fire, the longer it takes us to get to it, and the bigger the fire gets. This aircraft can cruise to that fire at 160 knots, which is almost 1.5 times faster than current capabilities.” The aircraft can also carry a 3,600-kilogram exterior payload, and a special tank can increase that to 4,500 kilograms. Pilot Jean-Michel Dumont estimates the helicopter could carry about 2,600 litres of water – to drop over a wildfire – each trip.

THUNDER BAY — Fire ranger crews in Ontario are getting a little more time this year to hone their skills with training exercises and to maintain equipment. So far this season, the number of forest fires is pacing well below last year, and well below average. According to the province’s Aviation, Forest Fire and Emergency Services, there have been 97 fires to date in Ontario. By last year at this time, there were exactly double that number of fires – 194. Over the past decade, the average number of fires at this point has been 159. There are currently no active fires in the Northwest region, and just two in the entire province, near the James Bay coast.

Natural Resources Canada announced two investments through the 2 Billion Trees program. The first is an amount of $200,000 to the City of Greater Sudbury to plant 200,000 trees by 2027 and the second is an amount of $300,000 to the Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA) to increase skilled labour in the tree nursery sector. Funding to the City of Greater Sudbury to plant trees will help restore lands that were historically affected by industrial activity and support the recovery of self-sustaining, indigenous terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Proper preparation is key to the success of planting new trees. These trees will serve as a new, healthy and vibrant green space and provide habitats and food sources for birds and animals. They will also capture carbon, fostering cleaner air and a healthier environment for the communities of Greater Sudbury.

In Toronto, neighbourhood equity is typically viewed through a socio-economic lens, dividing us into haves and have-nots. But there’s another factor that contributes to our wealth — trees. And a new online tool that maps tree equity throughout the city, weighing canopy cover against a number of indicators such as poverty, climate and health, shows that many of the factors that divide us socio-economically are the same when it comes to the canopy. “In neighbourhoods with higher poverty rates or more residents of colour, there is almost 40 per cent less tree coverage than more affluent or more white areas of Toronto, according to data analyzed by American Forests, the non-profit that created the online tool, called TESA — Tree Equity Score Analyzer — in conjunction with the city.” The tool, the first of its kind in Canada, is not just for municipal use. It is free and publicly accessible.

ONTARIO — Two years after a destructive derecho tore across eastern Ontario, one of the hardest-hit areas is taking the next step toward revitalizing its forests: planting new trees to replace the ones destroyed in the storm. The derecho struck the region, bringing winds of up to 190 km/h. Hydro Ottawa said the storm knocked out more than 500 hydro poles. The violent storm also downed innumerable trees, particularly softwood species such as red and white pine. Last year, various levels of government joined the South Nation Conservation Authority east of Ottawa to develop a forest recovery program to address the severe damage.  …A derecho is a fast-moving thunderstorm known for causing widespread wind damage. Unlike the rotating winds in a hurricane or tornado, a derecho’s winds blow straight. Caroline Goulet, a forester with the conservation authority, said the derecho was not “consistent in regards to the way and the type of force that it hit.”

Last February, Calvin Township passed a resolution calling on the province and the country to better prepare for forest fires. Council put together a list of suggestions and recommendations and send it out to municipalities throughout the province and to many provincial and federal government officials. The provincial government recently responded, but the federal government has yet to acknowledge Calvin’s request to create a national strategy to prepare for and fight forest fires. “I’m disappointed that we haven’t heard from the federal government,” Calvin’s Mayor Richard Gould said. “I think we have to look at being a little more proactive” in creating a national strategy. Mayor Gould mentioned that for a federal government so focused on reducing carbon emissions, he’s surprised he has yet to hear from leaders about the township’s proposals.

The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture’s Spruce Budworm Early Intervention Control Program will be active along parts of Western Newfoundland and the Northern Peninsula this summer, subject to insect development and weather. Spruce budworm is a destructive forest insect capable of causing widespread defoliation leading to tree mortality and growth losses. Aerial treatments will take place on forest land located south of the Bay of Islands, east of Gros Morne National Park extending to the Baie Verte area, north of Gros Morne National Park up to the Plum Point area, and the Roddickton-Bide Arm area. Up to 90,000 hectares of forest is scheduled to be protected using one or more applications of the biological control agent Btk, which has been approved for use by the Health Canada – Pest Management Regulatory Agency.

Quebec is on high alert for forest fires this week as the province endures a period of hot and dry conditions. An atmospheric trough stationed in the Maritime provinces, which blocked moisture from reaching Quebec. The lack of moisture for the vegetation and abnormally dry soil has increased the danger of forest fires. In addition, ample sun and southerly warmth has recorded temperatures 5°C to 15°C above normal across the province to start June. …Temperatures soared into the 30s with Montreal airport recording 31.4°C on June 4. On Tuesday, Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU) said there is a maximum risk of forest fires nearly everywhere in the province. Vigilance will be needed in the coming days. People have been reminded to be careful of how cigarette butts are discarded, as well as proper incineration of waste, which could easily start fires.

MONTREAL — Demand for commercial drones is growing dramatically — from an estimated $19.9 billion in 2022 to a projected $57 billion in 2030. And the Autonomous Vehicle (AV) market is projected to grow to more than $13 trillion by 2030. But one of the key challenges for drone and AV manufacturers continues to be finding more-accurate and lower-cost navigational sensors that are essential to enabling this growth. …Now a Quebec-based company has developed an inertial optical system that matches the accuracy of navigational sensors used in the aerospace industry at a fraction of the cost. …The company behind this new technology, Montreal-based One Silicon Chip Photonics (OSCP), has partnered with French multinational company Thales, which is developing autonomous rail systems and has been testing OSCP’s prototype in the field. …drones and AVs are also increasingly being used in agriculture, mining, mapping and survey work, as well as in trucking, delivery and other transport industries.

A bid from Corner Brook Pulp and Paper to harvest wood in a local watershed has hit a brick wall at city council. The Kruger-owned company had asked for permission to cut wood near the city’s water supply. The proposal involved harvesting 330 hectares of forest inside an 11,000-hectare protected lake area, as well as the construction of a 2.75-kilometre access road. City council rejected the proposal at its meeting on Monday. “When it comes to drinking water, we’re the ones. The buck stops here,” said Coun. Pamela Gill, who spoke at length about her concerns at the meeting. In a subsequent interview with CBC News, she said that while she isn’t fully opposed to cutting in the watershed, she didn’t feel enough information was given to make a properly informed decision.