Before one can even begin to discuss sustainable forestry on Haida Gwaii, the islands off the coast of British Columbia that used to be called the Queen Charlotte Islands, one has to discuss the extraordinary history of the Haida themselves, their relationship with the islands and with the trees. I visited the islands recently as…
There is “no relief coming in the immediate future” for northern communities affected by forest fires, the provincial government says. “It’s fairly obvious we’re in a significant forest fire season. We’ve been days into and we have days to come,” said Colin King, deputy commissioner of the province’s emergency management and fire safety branch. As…
The Honourable Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario, today announced an investment of $2 million to support Domtar Inc. in developing and commercializing new premium grades of pulp at its facility in Dryden, Ontario. As a result of this investment, Domtar will launch…
The export value of United States hardwood to China jumped 34 percent year-on-year in 2014 as the country increased its demand for more sustainably sourced materials for its urbanization program and for environmental projects. The value of U.S. hardwood products sold into China reached $1.53 billion last year, according to data from the foreign agricultural…
Jack LeRoy held up a log-shaped object about a foot-and-a-half long, made of compressed wood chips, formed into a cylinder. “I gotta tell ya, this is a fantastic fuel log,” he said. And it is made of 100 percent juniper. “If you look at traditional uses, if you look at traditional milling that we do…
Project Learning Curve – a push by Domtar Corporation (NYSE: UFS) (TSX: UFS) to increase focus on handwriting and the research that shows how much it benefits students – won a Silver Lion on Monday at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Cannes is considered the world’s most prestigious annual advertising and communications awards honoring marketing excellence. Roughly…
A West Quebec community fears the loss of 300 jobs on July 31 if a sawmill that is a major employer can’t reach an agreement with the Quebec government. Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring Inc. has told employees it will have to close its plant in Thurso, east of Gatineau, if it cannot negotiate a return to a higher wood quota. The…
Northern Pulp has been given the green light to resume production after a month-long shutdown to install equipment to reduce air pollution. The company was ordered to install a precipitator that is supposed to reduce emissions of particulate matter by 80 per cent and improve air quality. The Department of Environment says the gear has passed…
Ontario and Québec forestry ministers met today to discuss forestry matters of mutual benefit and interest. In reaffirming their commitment to cooperation, Bill Mauro, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Laurent Lessard, Québec Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, agreed to keep working together on priority matters for the two provinces, including promoting…
Ratepayers received a small windfall in April from a surge in the use of natural gas to generate electrical power in Nova Scotia. Using more natural gas, at relatively low prices, helped hold the line on fuel costs despite higher loads on the system, according to a monthly report from Nova Scotia Power Inc. The…