Thank you for the question.
Biomass varies a lot across Canada. In the Prairies, for example, biomass is primarily used for the production of ethanol and biodiesel. On the coasts, both in British Columbia and in Quebec and the Maritimes, companies produce pellets for export. Logs and forestry waste, among other things, are also used in the pulp and paper industry. Companies burn the bark to make energy.
There is no structure, except for biofuels. There's no real overall vision in Canada to properly assess how to develop this biomass in a more interesting way. The Institut de l'énergie Trottier recently published a report, in co‑operation with Roberta Dagher, highlighting the challenges that come from lack of information, lack of coordination and lack of strategy in our use of biomass.
In terms of overall energy consumption, biomass is marginal. In Canada, it represents maybe 5% to 7% of energy consumption. However, biomass could be very interesting if the federal government had a real strategy and a real policy to allow for the right biomass to be used in the right place.
I would say that, in general, vehicle biofuels are not the best or most interesting way to use this energy biomass. Maybe in specific cases, but not in general.