Curtis Cook

Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have always been the backbone of Canada’s economy, employing most of the country’s private-sector workforce (over 60 per cent as of last year) and generating much of Canada’s product, service, business process, and technological innovation across a spectrum of industries. The country’s forestry sector is no exception. SMEs are vital to sustainable forest management, job creation, and direct contributions to local and regional economies. …The recent Canadian Institute of Forestry 2025 National Conference in Thunder Bay featured a panel of dynamic entrepreneurs who are guiding their forest sector businesses to success despite the external challenges. True to the theme of the event, they are “finding opportunity in complexity.” These self-starters talked about their choices to enter the market and run their own companies and, at the same time, affirmed the importance of sector collaboration and partnerships as a path to growth and innovation.