Skip to content

Jobs of the Future: Biomass program supports forestry jobs

New $19.6-million program aims to promote innovation in the forestry sector
pexels-ekrulila-2203077

The province says its new $19.6-million Forest Biomass Program will promote innovation and jobs in Ontario’s forestry sector.

This application-based program will “help develop untapped economic potential and environmental benefits offered by new and emerging uses of underutilized wood and mill by-products, known as forest biomass.”

The government said the program was built based on feedback from the public Indigenous communities and industry stakeholders.

“The Forest Biomass Program will support projects to harvest more wood from Crown forests, increase forest sector job creation and regional economic growth and find new uses for wood in collaboration with stakeholders, industry and Indigenous communities,” the province said in a news release.

The program uses four streams to find innovative uses of forest biomass:

  1. Indigenous Bioeconomy Partnerships, to increase Indigenous participation in forest biomass opportunities and their economic benefits.
  2. Exploring Biomass Pathways, to help the public and private sector research technical, financial and scientific aspects of using forest biomass.
  3. Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing, to increase the use of forest biomass in manufacturing, infrastructure, energy services and resource extraction.
  4. Modernization, to support forest sector transformation, competitiveness and participation through use of forest biomass.

The program opens for applications early this summer for businesses, municipalities, Indigenous communities and not-for-profit organizations in Ontario with a project idea to expand the use of forest biomass and enhance the forest biomass supply chain.

To learn more about the Forest Biomass Program, click here.