Question Period Note: FOREST SECTOR SUPPORT

• We have seen the devastating effects wildfires and natural disasters can have on Canadians and their communities.
• The Government of Canada will continue to strongly support the forest sector, which we know supports more than 200,000 people and some 300 communities across the country. And millions more who receive the biodiversity, carbon and human health benefits that forests provide.
• Budget 2023 provided an investment of $368M over three years to renew and update forest sector support programs that have benefited all jurisdictions. In Quebec, these programs support the development of tomorrow’s bioproducts, the commercialization of innovative Quebec products and Indigenous economic development.
• Budget 2022 invested nearly $523M to address the increasing threat of wildland fires. And under Canada’s National Adaptation Strategy, the Government of Canada committed an additional $284M to enhance wildfire prevention and mitigation.
• Our commitment to plant 2 Billion Trees will support the regeneration and recovery of burned forests. This will include close partnership with provinces, territories, organization, communities, and companies to build healthy resilient forests.

• The forest sector is facing numerous ongoing challenges including increasing wildland fire-related impacts, risks of damaging pest infestations, and declining fibre supply. Market conditions including ongoing trade irritants and environmental campaigns, evolving demand in some forest traditional sectors, growth of the bioeconomy and a focus on net-zero objectives signal a need to drive transformative change in how Canada manages its forest ecosystems for long-term resilience and sustainability.
Two Billion Trees (2BT) Program
• The 2BT program is a component of the $4B Natural Climate Solutions Fund, a key part of the commitment to advancing natural climate solutions and tackling the crises of climate change and biodiversity loss.
• The Government of Canada will invest $3.2B over 10 years to partner with provinces, territories, municipalities, Indigenous organizations, and others to plant two billion trees by 2031.
• In 2021, program recipients succeeded in planting some 29 million trees from over 150 different species on over 500 sites across Canada. Nearly one in every five projects was Indigenous-led.
Forest Pests
• The Fall Economic Statement 2022 allocated $62.2M to continue implementation of the early intervention strategy against spruce budworm in Atlantic Canada; and in 2020, the Government of Canada announced $68.4M to support Alberta in addressing the challenges posed by the spread of the mountain pine beetle in Alberta and across Canada.
• Furthermore, NRCan invests about $20M annually in science to help Canadian forest managers and communities understand, monitor, and manage pests.
Wildland Fires
• The Fighting and Managing Wildfires in a Changing Climate funding announced in Budget 2022 will address the increasing threat of wildfires by investing over $346M over 5 years for NRCan and Indigenous Services Canada to support training and employment for community-based wildland firefighters, and in firefighting equipment and capacity.
• This includes $269M over 5 years to strengthen provincial and territorial fire suppression capabilities.
• In addition, Budget 2022 announced $176.81M over 11 years to NRCan, the Canadian Space Agency, and Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for a Canadian wildfire monitoring satellite system that detects and monitors wildfires, providing support to Canada’s fire management partners and public safety authorities to combat wildfires and plan evacuations more effectively.
• Under the recently announced National Adaptation Strategy, announced in fall 2022, the Government is committing $284M to enhance national wildfire prevention and mitigation activities.
International Assistance for Wildfires
• Canada is experiencing the most challenging recorded start to the wildfire season. We are grateful for the continued partnership with international partners. For example, the United States, has already provided almost 700 firefighters, incident managers, and support staff to assist in fighting Canadian wildfires.
Investing in Canada’s Forest Economy
• The forestry sector plays an important role in Canada's natural resource economy, and is a source of good careers in many rural communities across Canada, including Indigenous communities. As global demand for sustainable forest products grows, continued support for Canada's forestry sector will help it innovate, grow, and support good middle class jobs for Canadians.
• Budget 2023 proposes to provide $368.4 million over three years, starting in 2023-24, with $3.1 million in remaining amortization, to Natural Resources Canada to renew and update forest sector support, including for research and development, Indigenous and international leadership, and data
• Budget 2019 allocated $251M over 3 years for the renewal of NRCan’s forest sector programs supporting innovation, market and product development, and Indigenous economic development.

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