Ontario Invests CA$14 Million to Modernize Forest Inventory System

Ontario is investing more than CA$14 million (US$10.1 million) to modernize the province’s Forest Resources Inventory (FRI) Information Management System, aiming to strengthen the competitiveness of Ontario’s forest sector through improved digital forest data.

The investment will replace legacy systems with updated technology designed to improve the accuracy, accessibility, and usability of information tied to Ontario’s managed forests. The initiative is part of the province’s Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, a 10-year strategy focused on supporting forestry workers, businesses, and long-term demand for Ontario wood products.

Through a partnership with Microsoft using Databricks technology, Ontario is developing digital tools to modernize how forest inventory information is collected, stored, and shared. Historically, forest resource inventories relied on static digital imagery stored on physical drives.

The province said the updated system will leverage LiDAR technology to provide more detailed forest information, including forest structure, ground elevation, certain tree characteristics, and three-dimensional landscape views.

Commenting on the investment, Ontario’s Kevin Holland said:

“Ontario’s forest sector is a key economic driver that supports good-paying jobs and the workers and communities that depend on them across the province. As a leader in advanced forest inventory technology, Ontario is equipping industry with the data it needs to stay competitive, make faster decisions, and establish the regulatory framework needed to support long-term growth.”