Ontario Launches 10-Year Roadmap to Support Forest Sector

On Tuesday, Ontario announced the launch of its Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, a 10-year plan aimed at supporting workers, businesses, and communities across the province’s forestry industry.

The roadmap builds on existing initiatives, including the Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan and funding through programs such as the Forest Biomass Program, the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program, and the Forest Access Roads Funding Program. Since 2022, the province has invested more than CA$355 million across these programs, supporting nearly 90 businesses, Indigenous communities, and industry partners, and creating more than 320 jobs.

Ontario’s forest sector generates close to CA$21 billion in revenue and supports more than 154,000 jobs. With 97.0% of forest product exports going to the US, the province said US duties and tariffs pose a significant risk to the sector.

The plan is structured around three pillars: defending workers and businesses by mitigating the impact of US trade measures and supporting mill operations; improving global competitiveness by reducing regulatory burden and encouraging modernization; and growing long-term demand by advancing new products, attracting investment, and increasing wood use in construction under the province’s Buy Ontario policy.

In remarks accompanying the announcement, Natural Resources Minister Mike Harris said:

“From the harvesters and sawmills in the North to the manufacturers in the South, Ontario forestry supports jobs and economic opportunity all across the province. This roadmap lays out our plan to build a more resilient forest industry that will create more good-paying jobs and reaffirm Ontario’s position as the number one choice in the G7 for wood products made from high quality lumber from our carefully managed forests.”