Natural Resources Canada announces two investments for manufacturers

VANCOUVER — On Oct. 25, Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, announced two contributions through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program that support Canada’s forest sector in becoming more economically competitive. The program is providing $1.14 million to Deadwood Innovations and the Nak’azdli Development Corporation (NDC) to build and optimize a pilot-scale facility deploying a process to manufacture value-added engineered wood products from underutilized dead and damaged wood fibre, as well as $4.25 million to Tolko Industries Ltd. (Tolko) to expand and diversify its production beyond commodity plywood products to include specialty, industrial and engineered wood products.

Deadwood Innovations, together with the Nak’azdli Development Corporation and in partnership with the Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation, has established a pilot plant at the Tl’oh Forest Products mill in Fort St. James, B.C. The project provides an opportunity to develop products from underutilized fibre to support local economic diversification and job creation and to minimize wildfire risks. The joint venture is also currently working with the Government of British Columbia to commercialize these wood products through the provincial Indigenous Forest Bioeconomy Program.

Additionally, with the support of the IFIT program, Tolko aims to use manufacturing equipment to produce new value-added wood products with environmental sustainability in mind. In addition to maximizing value from Tolko’s operations, this project will also increase the availability of low-carbon building materials produced in Canada.

“Canada’s forest sector supports economic growth and thousands of jobs right across the country. Through initiatives such as the IFIT program and funding projects like those announced today, the Government of Canada is working collaboratively to advance innovative technologies that will make our forest sector more competitive and more sustainable through the utilization of dead or damaged wood fibre as well as hybrid wood products,” said Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources.

“The IFIT program has provided our partnership with essential contributions to design, build and develop our wood modification technology from concept to pilot. The funding closed a gap for our forest technology startup and helped position us to prepare for commercialization due diligence. Deadwood and Nak’azdli Whut’en are on the precipice of driving sustainable, valuable change in forestry; we are sincerely grateful for the support of the knowledgeable IFIT team,” said Owen Miller, President, Deadwood Innovations.