Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good afternoon. Thank you so much for the invitation to be here.
I will be starting, and then Derek will be speaking as well.
Canada’s forest products sector is ready to play a key role in driving economic recovery, especially in rural and northern forestry communities, and at the same time bring health and environmental benefits and greater self-sufficiency to Canada and Canadians.
As mentioned, my name is Kate Lindsay. I am FPAC's senior vice-president, and am joined today by my colleague, FPAC's president and CEO, Derek Nighbor.
Let me begin by talking about the fundamentals upon which Canadian forestry is built.
Canada is blessed with a tremendous natural and renewable resource in our forests. We have the second most forested lands in the world, making up 40% of our land base.
Canada’s managed forest—the area under active management—is primarily under the purview of provincial governments. Of the lands on which FPAC member companies operate, 94% are on Crown lands and are subject to among the most rigorous governance frameworks in the world.
Canada’s forests and our sustainable forest management regimes are dynamic in nature, continuously evolving to respond to the natural, human and societal shifts that require small adjustments, or sometimes more significant adjustments over time.
Forest management planning in Canada happens at the local level and is driven by science and detailed modelling. It considers dozens of values, from wildlife habitat requirements to watershed protection to fire risk mitigation. It receives and reflects input and knowledge from local municipalities, indigenous peoples, regional recreation and outdoors groups, and other area rights holders and stakeholders.
As with any local land development planning, there are often competing values and interests. It is part of our job to work with local communities on solutions that find balance and co-benefits.
Layered on top of provincial rules and local input is another level of accountability and transparency—third party certification.
Just 11% of the world’s forests are third party certified; 35% of those certified forests are here in Canada. It’s another reason why, in a recent Leger study of nearly 200 global wood, pulp, and paper buying customers, Canada ranked number one in the world. International customers cited quality, reliability, sustainability and good forest management as reasons Canada is their number one choice.
This natural Canadian advantage is a huge opportunity for us as we look at post-pandemic recovery opportunities.
I will now turn it over to Derek Nighbor who will speak to some of the solutions and recommendations.