Question Period Note: Canadian Forestry (California & New York Anti-deforestation Legislation)

California and New York state legislatures have introduced legislation that could force U.S. companies to move their sourcing from Canadian forest-product suppliers, and may inspire similar bills in other states or at the federal level.

• Our government is concerned about the government procurement bills on forest products currently before the California and New York state legislatures.
• We are taking a Team Canada approach in expressing these concerns, working with provinces and industry to register our views with legislators.
• Canada is a world leader in sustainable forest management.
• Our strong system of forest laws, monitoring, and enforcement ensures sustainable forest management practices across the country.
• We will always stand up for the interests of Canadians in the United States, and will continue to work with communities, industry, provinces and territories to protect and sustainably manage our forests.
If pressed:
• While Canada is home to nine percent of the world’s forests, it accounts for only 0.3% of global deforestation.
• Through our commitment to nature-based solutions to fight climate change, Canada is committed to expanding its forest area by planting 2 billion trees over the next ten years.
If pressed on what Canada is doing to respond to these bills:
• Canadian officials are meeting on at least a weekly basis with counterparts from provinces and the New York and California governments to make Canada’s position known and object to these bills.
If pressed on harvesting and logging regulations:
• If trees are harvested and used sustainably, much of the carbon that would have been released at the end of their life cycle can be sequestered in long-lived wood products and buildings. The harvested tree can then be replaced by seedlings, which will continue to take up atmospheric carbon.
• The area of forests harvested each year is less than half of 1% of Canada’s 347 million ha of forest land, significantly smaller than the areas affected by insects and burned by fires each year.
• Ninety percent of Canada’s forests are the responsibility of Canada’s provinces and territories, and under current laws, harvested trees must be regenerated.
• Provinces and territories regulate and monitor the management of forests on Crown land to ensure that logging practices are sustainable.
If pressed on old-growth harvesting:
• Under the Constitution, Canada’s provinces are responsible for regulations that govern the management of Crown forests, including old-growth.

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