Linda Coady
Stéphane Renou
In Vancouver, leaders and changemakers will be coming together at the GLOBE Forum 2024 to explore solutions to reimagine our economy, and to look at innovations that go beyond sustainability to regeneration. Globally, the shared challenge of moving towards a net-zero economy and reducing emissions is vital. In British Columbia and Canada, we have a unique opportunity with a sustainable and regenerative natural resource like forestry. …The Canadian forest sector has a critical role to play in meeting this challenge. The forestry industry in B.C. strives to use virtually 100 per cent of every tree. …Bioproducts are being developed that can replace non-renewable materials in items like medical face masks, asphalt for roads, and natural-based glue and adhesives for wood panels in houses and buildings. …If there are no pulp mills, we cannot grow the bioeconomy and develop the value-chain of engineered products and bioenergy that will move us towards a net-zero economy.
Providing fibre certainty for industry creates the conditions for investment and continued operations across the forest sector, which supports families and communities throughout the province. If we take these steps, a key opportunity that could been realized in Canada are examples of transformative modern facilities. These include modern kraft plants that have been developed elsewhere globally, with the ability to yield increased pulp production, energy self-sufficiency, improved environmental performance, excess production of electricity, and employment opportunities. This can drive the creation of bioproducts as platforms for the growth of a high-value and low-carbon bioeconomy. A project of this nature would generate significant benefits for Canadians and secure the future for our sawmill operations.