Ontario Protecting Forest Sector Jobs and Workers

Province investing $11.3 million to support economic growth in northeastern Ontario

The Government of Ontario is protecting workers and jobs in the forest sector by investing $11.3 million in five research, innovation and modernization projects in northeastern Ontario. The investments from the Forest Biomass Program will help accelerate Ontario’s forest sector’s competitive advantage by creating new jobs, increasing productivity and identifying new revenue streams.

“Our government is making strategic investments to protect jobs, protect communities and protect Ontario,” said Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products. “We’re ensuring our forest sector businesses are ready to adapt, compete and thrive, putting made-in-Ontario wood products first.”

The government’s investment is supporting projects related to underused wood and mill by-products, known as forest biomass. The recipients include:

• Hornepayne Power Inc., who are receiving $7,500,000 to increase regional energy production by modernizing and upgrading power generation equipment. The funding will also support research into on-site green hydrogen production.
• GreenFirst Forest Products Inc., who are receiving nearly $3 million to boost productivity, cut costs and improve product quality by upgrading the company’s biomass cogeneration plant, and an additional $130,000 to research the use of mill by-products for torrefied pellets, a green alternative to coal.
• Circular Carbon Canada Inc., who are receiving $500,000 to study northeast sawmills as potential sites for pyrolysis plants, which use forest biomass to produce biochar, which is a substance used in power generation, soil amendment and water filtration.
• Wikwemikong Development Commission, who are receiving $200,000 to support the development of a combined wood pellet and biocoal facility by assisting with permitting, contracting, business development and community engagement.

These projects will help create good-paying local jobs while supporting the delivery of high-quality, made-in-Ontario products to market at a lower cost. In addition, they will strengthen northeastern Ontario’s economy by creating added demand for the harvesting, hauling and trucking industries, and develop new opportunities for Indigenous communities to participate in the growing forestry industry.

“Forestry has always been a cornerstone of the economy in Northeastern Ontario — a sector built on hard work, local expertise, and the ability to adapt,” said George Pirie, Member of Provincial Parliament for Timmins. "That’s why we’re supporting new projects like a Timmins-led feasibility study into biomass and biochar to create new industry opportunities across Northern Ontario. This study will explore practical ways to turn forestry by-products into clean energy and bring new jobs to our community."

Ontario’s Forest Biomass Program invests up to $20 million each year in projects to increase wood harvest, create forest sector opportunity and find new uses for wood in collaboration with stakeholders, industry and Indigenous communities.