Canada’s forest bioeconomy holds the key to addressing some of the country’s most pressing challenges – from combating climate change and reducing wildfires to improving the housing crisis and boosting economic growth. However, the forest sector is not receiving the unified action it needs to maximize its potential. While Canada has national strategies for housing, critical infrastructure and other industries, there is no cohesive plan for forestry. With abundant forest resources, sustainable building materials and new avenues for generating clean energy, experts say a national forest strategy is urgently needed to capitalize on these opportunities. “We don’t need a blue-ribbon task force to figure out what needs to be done,” says Derek Nighbor, CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada. Instead, what’s needed is more agile regulation and government policy that improves Canada’s competitiveness – similar to what’s been done in areas such as electric vehicles.