Canada Announces Support for British Columbia’s Forest Sector

On March 19, 2025, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced a total investment of over $20 million [BE1] for 67 projects that will help to boost the competitiveness and resiliency of British Columbia’s forest sector.

Green Construction through Wood (GCWood) Program

The GCWood program encourages the use of innovative wood-based building technologies in construction projects. These projects will aid in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from renewable and sustainable resources that help decarbonize the built environment while accelerating the adoption of innovative building technologies and systems.

Project Name: Post + Panel: The Implementation of Point Supported CLT
Recipient: Fast+Epp Structural Engineering
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $170,000
Project Summary: The project has completed all the planned testing in the first testing phase (rolling shear testing). The results have completed preliminary results and results have been presented at the ASCE Structures Congress earlier in 2023 and at both the World Conference of Timber Engineering in June 2023, and the INTER conference later in 2023. The results were also presented at the CSA O86 A257 committee meeting in January 2024 to begin the process of code adoption. Ongoing analytical research using the results of the testing will be completed by PhD student Houman Ganjali at UNBC with one or more journal papers resulting from his research. The results will also be shared with the USDA Forest Products Lab and the AWC for potential adoption in U.S. codes.

Project Name: Reach: A Concept Design Tool for Comparing Structural Systems
Recipient: Fast + Epp Engineers Inc.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $150,000
Project Summary:  The objective of the Project was to develop a publicly available, free-to-use web application concept design tool called “Reach” that could be used by designers and key construction stakeholders to compare different building systems from a structural and carbon use perspective. It was renamed to the Bay design tool and successfully launched in 2023 as an online platform that can explore multiple options for mass-timber framing systems and compare their embodied carbon and structural performance to conventional systems in steel or concrete.

Project Name: Product and Building Performance and Innovations
Recipient: Forestry Innovation Investment Ltd.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $115,000
Project Summary: The Canadian Nail-Laminated Timber Design and Constuction Guide version 2 was published in July 2024. This updated version of the guide incorporates  the latest revisions to the National Building Code of Canada (NBC) as well as CSA O125 and CSA O86 industry standards, including Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC). Evolved best practices, new knowledge and feedback from the market highlight advancements in cost-effective and high-quality nail-laminated timber (NLT) design and construction. This is the only comprehensive NLT resource available that combines design, construction and fabrication expertise from built projects into an easy-to-use reference for architects, engineers and building contractors.

Project Name: Emerging Building Systems and Wood Innovation – The Vienna House Demonstration Initiative
Recipient: British Columbia Housing Management Commission
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $435,225
Project Summary: The Vienna House project showcases construction innovation for multi-family residential buildings. The research has focused on incorporating these innovations within the project and sharing insights on the viennahouse.ca website. The lessons learned are shared widely through research reports, blogs and videos. Topics for this research have included:

• Building Information Modeling (BIM)
• Prefabrication
• Mass Timber
• Envelope testing for balcony connections
• Sustainability and Resilience 

Research into Vienna House also included a whole life carbon study, which looks to understand the carbon emissions from the outset of construction until disassembly. Finally, the project also used funding to research the economics of mass timber construction and published a report sharing the findings: A Comparative Feasibility Study for Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction.

Project Name: Development of the 2020 Edition of the Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Buildings in Canada
Recipient: FPInnovations
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $275,000
Project Summary: The 2021 edition of the Technical Guide for the Design and Construction of Tall Wood Building Guide was completed and released in French and English in 2022. This edition builds on 12-storey mass timber gravity system being an acceptable solution in the 2020 edition of the National Building Code of Canada. The guide provides benefits toward advancing the acceptance of tall wood building and other transformative applications by designers, authorities having jurisdiction, inspectors, contractors and the insurance industry and hence supports the federal and provincial government's goals of achieving economic growth under a net-zero carbon economy through the greater use of wood products.

Project Name: Development of a Modelling Guide for Timber Structures
Recipient: FPInnovations
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $100,000
Project Summary: The first edition of the Modelling Guide for Timber Structures was published in 2022. The guide brings together the experience gained from previous built timber projects and the latest research development in the modelling of timber structures. The information presented in the guide is intended to assist practising engineers to apply computer modelling to timber structures, enrich researchers’ resources for advanced computer modelling to timber systems and assist software companies in identifying knowledge gaps so that they may upgrade programs accordingly to accommodate the advanced computer modelling of timber structures.

Project Name: Accelerating Mass Timber Systems From Niche to Mainstream
Recipient: FPInnovations
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $150,000
Project Summary: The project resulted in the development of resources for accelerating mass timber systems from niche to mainstream including prefabricated CLT balconies, CLT building envelop systems and CLT foundation slabs.

Project Name: Exposed Steel Connection Design in Mass Timber Building Fire Test
Recipient: GHL Consultants Ltd.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $112,500
Project Summary: The objective of this project was to design and execute a series of fire tests to study the fire performance at the steel-timber interface in typical mass timber connection design (steel HSS column or mass timber column) on exposed steel connections typical in mass timber structures. The proponent expanded current research on the fire performance of mass timber to help develop appropriate and affordable mass timber designs and will investigate the integrity of exposed steel connections under fire conditions. A technical analysis and summary pilot-scale demonstrations report was completed in 2023 to document the summary and technical analysis of the fire performance of steel-timber connections and contains testing results and recommendations for potential future studies.

Project Name: Advancing the Development of the Construction Innovation Centre – Vancouver Recipient: Vancouver Regional Construction Association
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $105,550
Project Summary: The project was successfully completed by delivering an engagement report that identified four core values for a future Construction Innovation Centre in Vancouver (CICV), a partnership and commitment report that indicates that a proposal for a centre to promote innovation was well received and a technical report that presented feedback related to a future CICV building. Guided by the project vision, the design team interpreted these findings and used the existing Vancouver Regional Construction Association site as a test case to determine design guidelines for the Construction Innovation Centre in Vancouver.

Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) Program

The IFIT program is helping to facilitate the adoption of transformative technologies and products in the Canadian forest sector by bridging the gap between development and commercialization. These projects will help create a more-competitive, resilient and environmentally sustainable sector with a focus on innovative, low-carbon projects that result in new or diversified revenue streams.

Project Name: Parallel Laminated Venee Finger Jointed Panel Development – Study Phase
Recipient: Tolko Industries Ltd.
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $400,000
Project Summary: The proponent conducted additional research for product development and testing for final product certification to support future commercialization of a finger jointing process for 1-3/4" x 4' x 48' products for the industrial parallel laminated veneer (PLV) and structural laminated veneer lumber (LVL) market at the proponent’s Heffley Creek plywood/veneer manufacturing facility located in Kamloops, British Columbia, or an alternative suitable Tolko facility in British Columbia. The proponent is a major producer and marketer of lumber, plywood, veneer, oriented strand board and kraft paper with manufacturing operations across western Canada. The project will help support ongoing First Nation business relationships with partners who manage, sell and trade timber with Tolko. The project had a positive impact with the Indigenous community as it led to the creation of many jobs, increasing employment opportunities for Indigenous workers. The project maximized the value obtained from existing forest operations by creating higher-value structural LVL products in Canada compared to exporting raw materials.

Project Name: Production of Innovative Formaldehyde-Free and Isocyanate-Free Wood Adhesives From Lignin
Recipient: Canadian Forest Products Ltd.
Location: Prince George, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $121,500
Project Summary: The proponent investigated the feasibility of extracting kraft lignin from black liquor at the proponent's recovery boiler limited mill located in Prince George (Northwood mill) and valorizing extracted lignin into innovative formaldehyde-free and/or isocyanate-free wood adhesives. This project helped the proponent to determine whether extracting lignin on a commercial scale and valorizing it into a new bioproduct would be an economically viable investment. The proponent worked with Noram, which provided it with maximum lignin extraction capacity. Noram was responsible for the core LignoForce process technology.

Project Name: Mixing and Drying Processes for Producing Nanofibrillated Cellulose – Study Phase
Recipient: Performance Biofilaments Inc.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $309,000.00
Project Summary:  Project Summary: The proponent assessed the viability of mixing and drying processes required for commercial scale deployment of the technology. The proponent produced nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) directly from wood pulp fibres using a proprietary mechanical refining process. Integrated pilot-scale validation of the processes were carried out, including tailoring the material configurations, screening drying aids, selecting drying equipment and determining process conditions. The data generated during this Project was used to guide a detailed engineering design study for a scaled-up NFC upgrading facility. Since the completion of the study, over 100 samples of pre-dispersed material have been sent to prospective customers. The proponent has submitted a capital investment application to IFIT in order to construct their NFC upgrading facility, with plans for this facility directly based on the data generated during this Project. In May 2023, they announced their startup of the world's largest NFC commercial production plant at Domtar’s paper mill in Quebec.

Project Name: DLT Machinery Line – CNC and Automated Coating Expansion
Recipient: StructureCraft Builders Inc.
Location: Abbotsford, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $1,300,000
Project Summary: The objectives of this project were to incorporate a CNC milling machine and an automated coating system into the proponent’s production line, along with the associated material handling equipment. This enabled computer-automated cutting and processing of the panels, increased the dimensional accuracy of the finished panels and produced a pre-coated panel increasing the value add of the DLT product. These new machines replace completely manual processes currently in place, substantially increasing the throughput of the facility and making the proponent the first North American mass timber manufacturer to install an automated coating system as well as to provide CNC-milled DLT panels. Its panel-coating system has undergone significant upgrades to improve coating quality and reduce coating losses. The continued interest in mass timber buildings and DLT panels continues to increase in North America, making it a very viable market. The company continues to grow within the community and nation and internationally with Structure Craft’s projects being delivered across North America and in China.

Project Name: Mass Timber Panels for Passive House Standard (Part 3) Buildings
Recipient: BC Passive House (2014) Inc.
Location: Mount Currie, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $2,500,000
Project Summary: The proponent developed a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, will become the first producer of mass timber panel (MTP) systems on a commercial scale meeting passive house standards and will introduce further demand and technological advancement in upstream engineered wood and fibre industries. The project has driven the proponent to mature as a company, and it has seen an increase in demand by mass timber suppliers looking for its products to be precision-cut by the CNC machine. The proponent cuts all the mass timber panels for the high-rise build, and its increased production capacity has resulted in more money flowing back into the community. It has also modified its mix LTP/MTP system to address construction limitations in remote areas.

Project Name: Investing in New, Innovative Equipment for End-to-end, Sustainable Plywood Production in Richmond
Recipient: Richmond Plywood Corporation Limited
Location: Richmond, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $6,700,210
Project Summary: This project will revolutionize the proponent's operations by incorporating AI into the manufacturing process at their Richmond facility. This project will involve the procurement, installation and customization of an automatic patch line, a composer and lay-up line. All three pieces of equipment constitute new technologies and represent an early adoption implementation under unproven conditions at this scale.

Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI)

The IFI seeks to advance reconciliation in the forest sector by supporting Indigenous-identified priorities to accelerate Indigenous awareness, influence, inclusion and leadership. The IFI provides financial support to inclusive, Indigenous-led activities in the forest sector — such as gathering, developing, using and protecting Indigenous knowledge and science, and enabling Indigenous leadership and participation in forest stewardship — and it continues to fund projects focused on the identification, consideration and pursuit of economic development opportunities.

Project Name: Planning Activities to Establish Lumber Drying Kiln Operations for the Sts’ailes First Nation.
Recipient: Sts’ailes Development Corporation (SDC)
Location: Agassiz, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: The proponent will continue business planning and advisory services to establish a single, community-owned forestry business. This will include community consultations, regional outreach, activities to secure biomass supply and partnership agreements, and professional expertise.

Project Name: Nisga’a Wood Waste Collection and Transportation – Feasibility Analysis and Business Plan
Recipient: Nisga’a Nation as Represented by Chief Executive Officer of Lisims
Government
Location: New Aiyansh, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $44,625
Project Summary: This project supports the Nisga’a Nation in determining the economic feasibility and conducting business planning for a startup that will collect and haul wood waste from Nisga’a’s forest land to deliver to the Skeena Bio Energy facility in Terrace, B.C.

Project Name: Tsilhqot'in National Government Forestry Strategic Action Plan Development Project
Recipient: Tsilhqot'in National Government
Location: Williams Lake, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $105,765
Project Summary: The project objective is to develop the Tŝilhqot’in Nation Forestry Strategic Action Plan that will show a path on how the Tŝilhqot’in National Government and its six Tŝilhqot’in communities can continue to be united by working together on shared forestry goals in the next five years by collaborating with all levels of governments on forestry management challenges and opportunities while ensuring our six Tsilhqot’in forestry businesses remain working in forestry, which employs indigenous and local forestry workers.

Project Name: Git Lax Mo’on Services Biochar Manufacturing Facility
Recipient: Git Lax Mo’on Services Ltd.
Location: Gingolx, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $10,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to complete initial feasibility studies, business plans and planning to support the creation of a biochar manufacturing facility. The project enables the utilization of residual wood waste from forestry cut blocks through the production and marketing of biochar from the Nass Valley, British Columbia. 

Project Name: Dease River Development Corporation Forest Products Operations Initiative
Recipient: Dease River Development Corporation
Location: Good Hope Lake, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $332,000
Project Summary: The proponent will execute the elements laid out in its business plan by providing training for employees and acquiring equipment to expand forest products manufacturing. Funding will also be used to purchase equipment to increase the capacity, safety and production at the facility.

Project Name: Heiltsuk Value Added Wood Processing
Recipient: Heiltsuk Economic Development Corporation
Location: Bella Bella, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $533,000
Project Summary: This project will build and operate a value-added wood processing operation in Bella Bella that will manufacture commercial and specialty wood products for local and community housing needs.

Project Name: Little Shuswap Lake Band Land Based Tenure Acquisition
Recipient: Little Shuswap Lake Indian Band
Location: Chase, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $137,000
Project Summary: In order to investigate establishing and acquiring an area-based forest tenure in the region, this project will complete community engagement, assessments and reviews to determine the economic and environmental viability of that region as a tenure for the Little Shuswap Nation.

Project Name: Saik’uz Ecosystem Restoration Plan
Recipient: Saik’uz First Nation
Location: Vanderhoof, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The project will develop a practical and meaningful ecosystem restoration plan for the Saik’uz Nation that identifies new forestry and restoration opportunities to build longer-term capacity and skills for Saik’uz members and businesses and to negotiate tenure.

Project Name: The Use of Drones in Forestry
Recipient: Tseshaht First Nation
Location: Port Alberni, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $413,960
Project Summary: This project will build Tseshaht First Nation’s drone service capacity for forestry applications by procuring equipment, training personnel and expanding skills used in many forestry application and operations.

Project Name: Finlay Forest Management – Joint Venture Capacity Building
Recipient: Finlay Forest Management
Location: Mackenzie, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $185,000
Project Summary: The project will develop a media strategy to engage key audiences, create digital content and promote a training program that provides certifications, field skills and surveying training for forestry and environmental sector employment.

Project Name: Heavy Duty Technician Foundations Training Program
Recipient: Burns Lake Native Development Corporation
Location: Burns Lake, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $122,527
Project Summary: This project will enable Burns Lake Native Development Corporation to launch a heavy-duty technician training program in partnership with the College of New Caledonia and Burns Lake Native Logging Ltd., equipping six students with hands-on experience for careers in the natural resource sector.

Project Name: Toquaht Forest Products Eco-Industrial Park – Phase I: Facilities Update and Integration
Recipient: Toquaht Nation
Location: Ucluelet, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $410,000
Project Summary: This project will upgrade, relocate and integrate the Toquaht Developments’ forest products facility into a forest products eco-industrial park at the Toquaht Bay dry land sort, enabling the Toquaht Nation to maximize timber value, develop sustainable businesses, create jobs and improve the quality of life for its citizens.

Project Name: Cook’s Ferry Indian Band Forestry Strategic Planning
Recipient: Cook's Ferry Indian Band
Location: Spences Bridge, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $69,414
Project Summary: This project will develop a strategic plan to guide forest resource decisions within the Cook’s Ferry Indian Band traditional territory by assessing resources, identifying economic and employment opportunities and informing tenure discussions with the Province of British Columbia.

Project Name: Economic Feasibility Study to Determine if Rehabilitating the Tremont or Sparks or Young Lake Wildfire Area Will Provide an Economic Opportunity Through Carbon Credits
Recipient: Secwepemcul’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $184,355
Project Summary: This project will enable the Secwepemcul’ecw Restoration and Stewardship Society to strengthen collaboration among Secwépemc communities, build restoration capacity and assess the economic feasibility of funding wildfire-affected forest rehabilitation through marketable carbon credits.

Project Name: Haida Gwaii Forest Products Forest Tenure and Marketing Plan
Recipient: Haida Gwaii Forest Products Ltd.
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $400,000
Project Summary: This project will enable Haida Gwaii Forest Products Ltd. to assess long-term fibre supply options and develop a marketing plan for briquettes before reopening an idle forest products facility and briquette plant in Port Clements, British Columbia, creating jobs and economic benefits for Haida Gwaii communities.

Project Name: Gwa’sala ‘Nakwaxda’xw Strategic Forestry Development Project
Recipient: Gwa’sala ‘Nakwaxda’xw Nations
Location: Port Hardy, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $100,000
Project Summary: This project will develop a detailed business plan to assess the purchase of a local forest products facility, incorporating third-party valuation and legal review of the facility while refining the implementation strategy, supporting potential training and requesting capital funding.

Project Name: Forest Landscape Planning
Recipient: Tl’etinqox Government
Location: Alexis Creek, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The project will strengthen the capacity to actively participate in the development of the region’s forest landscape plan, ensuring that Indigenous values, cultural priorities and ecological wisdom are integral to the forest management process.

Project Name: Capacity Development Project
Recipient: Kelly Lake First Nation Society
Location: Kelly Lake, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $48,500
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to increase Kelly Lake First Nation Society’s capacity to engage, participate and be leaders in forest management activities on its traditional territories, ultimately allowing the Nation to exercise its traditional way of life.

Project Name: Katzie Forestry Strategy
Recipient: Katzie First Nation
Location: Pitt Meadows, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The project will facilitate engagement between Katzie First Nation, industry partners and provincial authorities on forest management to identify traditional practices and core values, which will inform the development of a Katzie Forestry Strategy to guide future management.

Project Name: Shuswap Band Forestry Planning Initiative
Recipient: Shuswap Band
Location: Invermere, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The proponent will embark on a forestry planning initiative that encompasses old growth management planning, caribou habitat restoration and protection, and knowledge collection through Indigenous guardians in forestry.

Project Name: Planning/scoping Process to Develop a Long-Term Natural Resource Plan
Recipient: Yekooche First Nation
Location: Prince George, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to create a road map for Yekooche First Nation to develop a comprehensive resource plan.

Project Name: Digital Stewardship Implementation
Recipient: Gwa'sala-Nakwaxda’xw
Location: Port Hardy, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The proponent will provide support to the GNN’s members and training in the use of digital tools so that they can map cultural values, apply the appropriate security provisions and include the features in their assessment of planned land base management activities on their traditional lands.

Project Name: Forest Landscape Planning
Recipient: Tsideldel First Nation
Location: Chilanko Forks, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will ensure active participation in creating the region’s forest landscape plan collaboratively with good input from the community. The strategy includes resource allocation and community engagement to strengthen Indigenous influence in this forest management plan.

Project Name: Lil'wat Nation Prescribed Burning Study
Recipient: Lil'wat Forestry Ventures LP
Location: Mount Currie, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will gather data on traditional burning through document reviews, Elder interviews and integration with ecosystem GIS data to support Indigenous burning practices for ecosystem health and food sovereignty.

Project Name: Forest Management Plan – Forest Sector Training Initiative
Recipient: Foothills First Nation
Location: Kamloops, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will initiate a multi-year effort to develop a forestry management plan for Foothills First Nation, supporting land-use planning, forestry practices, long-term management and reforestation.

Project Name: Forest Management Zoning
Recipient: Stswecem'c Xget'tem First Nation
Location: Dog Creek, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will use desktop analysis and fieldwork to assess forest ingrowth into grasslands, identify overly dense forests, map pinegrass-dominated understories and explore wildfire risk reduction opportunities.

Project Name: Forest Tenure Management Systems
Recipient: Kitselas Forestry Limited Partnership
Location: Terrace, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The project will undertake the necessary work to support KFLP in administering and managing its current forest tenure and to facilitate communication with other agencies also operating on the shared land base.

Project Name: Influencing Forestry Landscape Planning Through Traditional Knowledge Documentation and Sharing
Recipient: Saulteau First Nations
Location: Moberly Lake, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The project will support forest landscape planning to ensure sustainable management and the protection of Indigenous knowledge while engaging community members to gather information and identify important cultural sites within their traditional territory.

Project Name: Nuchatlaht Hahouthle Forestry Plan
Recipient: Nuchatlaht First Nation
Location: Zeballos, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: This project will use Nuchatlaht First Nation’s management plan as a benchmark to respond to forestry consultations, increase awareness of proposed activities in their territory, influence forestry direction in B.C. and advance Indigenous forestry leadership.

Project Name: Kwadacha Forest Products Facility – Value-Added Feasibility Study
Recipient: Kwadacha Nation
Location: Prince George, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The project will conduct a value-added feasibility study to explore expanding the proponent’s forest products manufacturing capacity, strengthening the Nation’s role in the forest sector while supporting environmental sustainability and economic growth within Kwadacha’s traditional territory.

Project Name: Skeetchestn Forest Products
Recipient: Skeetchestn Natural Resources
Location: Savona, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: The proponent will build and operate a new forest products facility that will result in a higher-production system with increased safety features. The proponent will need to modify the existing value-added facility to accommodate larger equipment, increased production and other associated requirements. The facility produces timbers for Skeetchestn Dodeca Homes for its line of ready-to-assemble post-and-beam housing kits — a value-added use of forest resources to address critical housing shortages in First Nations and rural communities across Canada.

Project Name: Iyon Kechika LiDAR Project
Recipient: Iyon Kechika Contracting LTD
Location: Lower Post, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $104,000
Project Summary: The proponent will use LiDAR to gather data, create maps and a gain comprehensive understanding of forest resources on Liard First Nation traditional territories to promote reconciliation and rights/title expression.

Project Name: Nuxalk Nation Bioenergy SPI Project Phase 3
Recipient: Nuxalk Nation
Location: Bella Coola, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $200,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is for Nuxalk Nation to replace fossil fuels with sustainable, biomass energy sources for heat and energy and to create economic opportunities in the community.

Project Name: Shackan Nursery Relocation/Expansion
Recipient: Shackan Indian Band
Location: Merritt, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $119,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to relocate and expand the native plant nursery to diversify the local economy, increase environmental stewardship and independently fulfil growing contracts.

Project Name: Cowichan Tribes Waste Fibre Recovery Business Planning
Recipient: Khowutzun Forest Services Ltd.
Location: Duncan, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $25,000
Project Summary: The objective is to support Khowutzun Forest Services Ltd. In pursuing its interest in starting a wood waste recovery business in the Cowichan traditional territory through undertaking business planning activities.

Project Name: Xeni Gwet’in Caretaker Area Forestry Development Strategy
Recipient: Xeni Gwet’in First Nation Government
Location: Nemaiah Valley, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $61,500
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to review and analyze existing natural resource–related data and information within the caretaker area to develop a forest development strategy that will identify options for forest management that are socially appropriate, economically viable and environmentally sustainable.

Project Name: Freegro Tree Shelters – KDC
Recipient: Khowutzun Development Corporation
Location: Duncan, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $250,000
Project Summary: This project will support Khowutzun Development Corporation in diversifying its natural resource management portfolio through the acquisition of necessary machinery and hardware, providing worker training and undertaking administrative and marketing planning operations to produce Freego tree shelters, a product that provides browse protection to trees and has a proven market need. This project is featured on Natural Resources Canada’s YouTube channel [in English only], produced in collaboration with KDC: https://youtu.be/QdcFTVsUeT8?si=NQ59ipep2joNUn50

Project Name: Training and Market Development Continuity
Recipient: Totem Sawmill Partnership
Location: Bella Coola, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $49,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to recruit and hire a new manager for the community’s forest products facility, adding new revenue sources, completing a log profile and mill optimization study, upgrading equipment and providing training.

Project Name: KFT Expansion and Launch of New Drought Mitigation Product Line
Recipient: Khowutzun Development Corporation
Location: Duncan, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $347,570
Project Summary: Under this agreement, the proponent will build upon previous success by expanding the marketing plan, upgrading its manufacturing facility and training staff in new, COVID-19–compliant best practices related to its new product line.

Project Name: New Pellet Plant Partnership Opportunity
Recipient: Fort Nelson First Nation
Location: Fort Nelson, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $250,000
Project Summary: This project will investigate and implement a proposed partnership between Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN) and Peak Renewables Ltd. to transform an idle oriented strand board plant/sawmill on lands near FNFN’s reserve into a large-scale pellet plant. 

Project Name: Capacity Development and Capital Purchases to Achieve Financial Sustainability at the Totem Forest Products Facility
Recipient: Totem Sawmill Limited Partnership
Location: Bella Coola, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $166,342
Project Summary: This project enables the company to build on its business plan, which identified steps for financial sustainability through operational, marketing and product strategies. The project supports training and equipment acquisition, laying the foundation for sustainable manufacturing operations while expanding production capacity and local economic impact.

Project Name: Nuxalk Nation Bioenergy SPI Project Phase 2
Recipient: Nuxalk Nation
Location: Bella Coola, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $143,000
Project Summary: This project supports the Nuxalk Nation’s assessment of opportunities for a community-based biomass district energy system in Bella Coola.

Project Name: Biomass Cogeneration Project Assessment and Advancement
Recipient: Nuxalk Nation
Location: Bella Coola, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $50,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to assess bioenergy opportunities for the Nuxalk Nation’s community, which include feedstock assessments, energy profiles, financial assessments and business cases.

Project Name: Tsay Keh Dene Nation Forestry Training and Skills Development Initiative
Recipient: Tsay Keh Dene Nation
Location: Prince George, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $72,000
Project Summary: This project will allow Tsay Keh Dene Nation to explore increased participation in the forestry industry in northern B.C. This includes traditional forestry work such as block layout, harvesting and silviculture, as well as environmental services. 

Project Name: Niska'a Lisims Government Bioenergy Project Phase 2
Recipient: Nisga’a Nation
Location: New Aiyansh, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $100,000
Project Summary: This project builds on a prior feasibility analysis of biomass related venture opportunities for the Nisga’a Nation to move forward with high-value activities.

Project Name: Revegetation and Environmental Monitoring Business Development Project
Recipient: Elk Valley Métis Association
Location: Fernie, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $110,530
Project Summary: This project will explore the feasibility of and undertake the business planning for establishing a forestry service company providing revegetation and environmental monitoring while creating training and employment opportunities for Elk Valley Métis Nation members.

Project Name: Sustainable Forest Management and Continuing
Recipient: Tsleil-Waututh Nation
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $25,000
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to allow Tsleil-Waututh Nation to participate and engage in developing sustainable forest practices to be shared with those conducting forest operations within their traditional territories. The guidelines developed will include Indigenous knowledge/science sharing and foster sustainable forest management and stewardship.

Project Name: Large Cultural Cedar Xwax’wana (Canoe) Carving and Forest Stewardship Revitalization project
Recipient: Nanwakolas Council Society
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $300,000
Project Summary: This project will revive and revitalize the ancestral knowledge and skills required to carve a canoe (xwax’wana) on the land and will contribute to enhancing a multi-Nation intergenerational forest stewardship strategy. The Kwakwaka’wakw carvers involved will meld traditional and contemporary ways of doing to create a dugout canoe and a living totem pole in the forest to revive these land-based practices. This project will foster knowledge-sharing within the community and will inform a forest stewardship initiative supported by a government-to-government agreement.

Project Name: Homalco Jeh Jeh Tenures Management Leadership and Development Project
Recipient: Homalco Jeh Jeh Tenure Management LP
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $382,100
Project Summary: The project will build capacity within the company over two years through the Homalco Jeh Jeh Tenures Management Leadership and Development Project, aiming to achieve sustainable economies of scale by acquiring an 80,000 m³ forest licence in the Sunshine Coast Timber Supply Area.

Project Name: Boothroyd Strategic Revegetation Management
Recipient: Boothroyd Indian Band
Location: Boston Bar, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount: $106,346
Project Summary: The project will support the strategic revegetation and management of the wildfire-impacted Nahatlatch watershed by stabilizing slopes, reducing runoff, restoring fish habitat and training resource workers in drone use and mapping for territorial assessment and management.

Global Forest Leadership (GFL) program

The GFL supports activities that expand Canada’s international engagement, collaborations and partnerships and that share Canadian expertise abroad. These projects will help strengthen partnerships with like-minded organizations by sharing Canadian expertise and will seek to decrease market barriers for sustainable forest products.

Project Name: Reducing trade irritants for forest products
Recipient: Canada Wood Group
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $434,940
Project Summary: Canada’s funding of $434,940 to the Canada Wood Group will support industry engagement on three issues of primary concern to Canadian wood product exporters: phytosanitary measures, technical barriers to trade, and building codes and standards. Project activities will be undertaken to support Canada’s global trade in forest products. Industry engagement will advance Canada’s global leadership on reducing unnecessary barriers to trade, especially phytosanitary measures that may be more trade-restrictive than necessary.

Project Name: Advancing international standards for wood pellets
Recipient: Wood Pellet Association of Canada
Location: Revelstoke, British Columbia
NRCan Funding Amount (up to): $180,000
Project Summary: Canada’s funding of $180,000 to the Wood Pellet Association of Canada will help to advance international standards for the trade of solid biomass. Project activities will focus on developing ISO standards for wood pellets, such as: standardizing terminology, specifications and classes, quality assurance, sampling and sample preparation, and test methods of wood pellets; establishing internationally recognized safety standards for wood pellets; and establishing standards for internationally accredited testing facilities for physical and mechanical testing methods of wood pellets. The project will facilitate the international standardization and trade of wood pellets and help to ensure that Canada’s interests are addressed by ensuring that the product performs as expected and is safe, thereby maintaining confidence in the global solid biomass trading system.