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New grants to help use more wood fibre

VICTORIA – The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) has allocated $3 million in new grants throughout the province to support jobs in the forestry sector and increase the use of wood fibre that otherwise would be burned as slash.

“This new funding is part of the government’s $1.5 billion economic recovery plan, which reflects our ongoing commitment to help British Columbians deal with challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

“The grants will support local jobs and help make better use of wood debris left behind after timber harvesting.”

Katrine Conroy, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

The latest round of funding supports 15 different projects in different regions of the province, with individual grant amounts ranging from $6,000 to $663,748 (see backgrounder for details about each project). The projects will allow about 250,000 cubic metres of post-harvest waste wood to be used in the production of pulp, wood pellets, electricity and compost for soil remediation. This work will also provide environmental, economic and social benefits to B.C. communities, including a reduction in greenhouse gases.

“One of the aims of our StrongerBC economic recovery plan is to build stronger, more resilient communities in every corner of the province,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Jobs, Economic Recovery and Innovation. “This program does just that, while also advancing the forest sector’s transition to high-value production, which is essential for B.C.’s long-term economic wellbeing.”

Eight of the approved applications were from new proponents that will receive FESBC project funding for the first time.

“We were very pleased to receive this additional funding to support incremental fibre use and forest rehabilitation projects,” said Jim Snetsinger, board chair, FESBC. “Upon receiving word of the $3 million allocation, our team moved quickly to prepare and announce its seventh intake for funding applications.”

“We were delighted with the quality and innovation shown in the proposals that we received. This work will help support families and communities in a time of need. It demonstrates the significant role that the forestry sector plays in our province’s broader economic recovery, while at the same time helping to achieve B.C.’s and Canada’s climate change targets.”

Contacts:

Aleece Laird
Communications Liaison
Forest Enhancement Society of BC
communications@fesbc.ca
250 574-0221

Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development
Media Relations
250 213-8172

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: http://news.gov.bc.ca/connect

Facts about FESBC

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) is a Crown agency. It was established in 2016 to advance the environmental and resource stewardship of the province’s forests by:

  • preventing wildfires and mitigating wildfire impacts;
  • improving damaged or low-value forests;
  • improving wildlife habitat;
  • supporting the use of fibre from damaged or low-value forests; and
  • treating forests to improve the management of greenhouse gases.

As of Jan. 28, 2021, the B.C. government has invested $238 million in FESBC, with about $237 million allocated to 270 projects since the society’s inception. Funded projects have helped minimize wildfire risks, enhance wildlife habitat, improve low-value and damaged forests, replant damaged forests and use fibre for green-energy production.

FESBC is a partner in the Forest Carbon Initiative, which is funded in part through the federal government’s Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund. This initiative assists with B.C. government priorities, such as:

  • revitalizing the forest sector;
  • partnering with First Nations;
  • supporting the Province’s CleanBC commitment to transition to a low-carbon economy; and
  • providing economic benefits for rural communities.

$3 million in grants support fibre use projects

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC has allocated another $3 million in grants to support 15 projects that will increase the use of wood fibre that otherwise would have been burned as slash.

Funding for these projects has been distributed as follows:

October 2020 project approvals (Intake #7):

  • $20,000 to Interwest Timber Ltd. to take uneconomical pulp fibre to a plant for chipping and future delivery to coastal pulp mills (about 1,537 cubic metres in the south coast region)
  • $101,562 to the Village of Fraser Lake for the Fraser Lake Community Forest, to transport uneconomic residual waste fibre to the Pinnacle Pellet plant in Burns Lake (about 13,488 cubic metres in the Omineca region)
  • $135,000 to Cariboo Pulp & Paper to transport low-value pulp fibre, which otherwise would be uneconomical to move, to manufacture pulp (about 9,122 cubic metres in the Cariboo region)
  • $200,000 to Atlantic Power (Williams Lake) Ltd. to help local First Nations companies deliver fibre to Atlantic Power for electricity generation (about 15,385 cubic metres in the Cariboo region)
  • $663,748 to Arrow Transportation Systems Inc. to transport uneconomic fibre to secondary users (about 44,250 cubic metres in the Thompson-Okanagan region)
  • $216,158 to Westland Resources Limited to enhance use of uneconomic pulp logs from two licensees (about 22,125 cubic metres in the Skeena region)
  • $279,749 to NorthPac Forestry Group Ltd. to increase fibre use by sending residual waste to coastal pulp mills (about 18,355 cubic metres in the Skeena region)
  • $6,000 to Westwood Fibre Resources Ltd. to increase use of residual waste fibre for distribution to secondary fibre users in the southern Interior (about 660 cubic metres in the Thompson-Okanagan region)
  • $133,745 to Pinnacle Renewable Energy Inc. to increase fibre use by manufacturing wood pellets (about 45,803 cubic metres at various locations across the province)
  • $336,252 to East Fraser Fiber to distribute waste fibre to a local chipping plant and other secondary fibre users in the north-central Interior (about 15,913 cubic metres in the Omineca region)
  • $300,000 to Duz Cho Logging Limited Partnership to increase fibre use by manufacturing wood pellets (about 15,625 cubic metres in the northeast region)
  • $61,750 to Husby Forest Products to recover otherwise uneconomic fibre from timber harvesting operations and support coastal pulp mills (about 4,060 cubic metres in the West Coast region)
  • $326,533 to Valley Carriers Ltd. to increase use of wood waste, which will be ground up for use in energy production (about 30,432 cubic metres in the Okanagan Shuswap District)
  • $83,100 to ?Elhdaqox Developments Ltd. to use waste fibre from a tree stand rehabilitation project for energy or wood pellet production (about 10,000 cubic metres in the Cariboo Chilcotin District)
  • $136,403 to Tk͛emlupsemc Forestry Development Corporation to convert woody biomass into a growth medium that expedites plant growth and soil stabilization (about 5,940 cubic metres in the Thompson-Okanagan Region)

See the FESBC Projects page for a map of all projects: https://www.fesbc.ca/projects/

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FESBC Launches its 2020 Accomplishments Report

250 Reasons Why B.C.’s Forests are Better Today

The Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) has launched its 2020 Accomplishments Report to coincide with Canada’s National Forest Week “healthy forests, healthy future” celebrations. There are two-hundred and fifty FESBC-funded projects throughout British Columbia featured in the Accomplishments Report. These projects were proposed by First Nations, woodlot owners, community forests, and many others to enhance B.C.’s forests for today and generations to come.

“FESBC is helping many communities in B.C.,” said Steve Kozuki, Executive Director of FESBC. “We are putting $233 million in the hands of local experts for projects across the province to reduce wildfire risks to protect people and communities, to enhance wildlife habitat, to improve low value and damaged forests, to re-plant damaged forests, and to use waste wood that otherwise would have been slash burned.”

The 36-page Report not only outlines the 250 projects by their purposes, ie: wildfire risk reduction, but also features projects by community so British Columbians can at a glance see the projects that have occurred, or are occurring, in their own backyard.

“These projects are taking action to improve not only the health of our environment but are also creating many social and economic benefits for the people and communities where these projects are occurring.”

Steve Kozuki, Executive Director, FESBC

Since the inception of the government agency in 2016, FESBC has generated significant benefits from the 250 projects including:

  • The creation of 2,124 full time equivalent jobs
  • $357 million in economic activity created from the $233 million investment
  • 60 projects led by First Nations plus 22 with significant First Nations involvement

“With support from the governments of B.C. and Canada, FESBC has been enabling others to reduce greenhouse gases, protect communities from wildfire, improve wildlife habitat, and create jobs for British Columbians,” said Jim Snetsinger, FESBC Board Chair and former Chief Forester for the Province of BC. “This work generates immense social, economic, and environmental benefits, now and into the future.”

Although FESBC is immensely proud of the progress, Kozuki acknowledges there is much more to be done.

“FESBC is well-positioned to continue the successful delivery of a carefully crafted program of initiatives that serve the needs of British Columbians. With so many people in every community committed to forest enhancement, there is no doubt we will achieve our shared vision of enhanced forest resilience for the lasting benefit of B.C.’s environment, wildlife, forest health, and communities.”

View the 2020 Accomplishments Report here:

2020 Accomplishments Report

For More Information or Media Interviews:

Aleece Laird, Communications Liaison, FESBC
250.574.0221 | communications@fesbc.ca

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Partnership Supports Local Jobs, Reduces Carbon Emissions

Grants of $3.9 million provided to Pinnacle Renewable Energy by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC (FESBC) are helping support jobs throughout the Interior and recover about 300,000 cubic metres of wood waste that otherwise would have been burned in slash piles.

A $500,000 allocation from those grants made it economical for Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership to recover 38,000 cubic metres of residual wood fibre (also known as “bio-logs”) from harvesting areas in the Monashee Mountains. The area’s steep terrain makes it difficult for wood grinders and traditional chip trucks to reach harvesting sites after logging is finished. However, with this funding, the uneconomic waste wood fibre could be hauled out at minimal additional cost by logging contractors already working in the area.

Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership in the Okanagan Valley is a joint venture between Pinnacle Renewable Energy and Tolko Industries Ltd. The project began in the winter of 2019-20 and is expected to last until March 2022.

“These companies are working together to support local jobs and produce a marketable wood product from residual fibre, while also reducing carbon emissions,” said Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

“The crucial financial support provided by the Forest Enhancement Society of BC made this innovative project possible.”

Doug Donaldson, Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

The collaboration between FESBC and local forestry companies not only helps improve air quality by burning less wood waste, but also supports good-quality jobs for British Columbians in their communities. The strategy has resulted in a consistent supply of wood fibre for Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership.

“This funding allowed us to reduce carbon emissions through the utilization of harvest waste,” said Jason Fisher, vice-president fibre, Pinnacle Renewable Energy. “Harvest residuals are more costly to handle, process and transport than mill residuals, especially in areas with challenging geography like the regions around Lavington. FESBC’s support for this project turned into local benefits and helps us turn B.C. wood waste into a global carbon solution.”

The residual waste recovered by Lavington Pellet Limited Partnership was stored in Lumby and processed in the spring, when mill curtailments and road use bans were in effect. Having the additional waste fibre available for processing reduced layoffs for 35 direct employees and 80 truck drivers.

“It’s a win-win project that supports the environment, local industries and the economy by providing employment opportunities for local contractors,” said Dave Conly, operations manager, FESBC.

To learn more, visit the FESBC project pages or the BC Government website: news.gov.bc.ca

Contacts:

Aleece Laird
Communications Liaison
Forest Enhancement Society of BC
communications@fesbc.ca
250 574-0221

Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource
Operations and Rural Development
Media Relations
250 213-8172

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: news.gov.bc.ca/connect