VIEA’s first ever Island Wood Industries Forum early in 2018 focused on issues and opportunities associated with access to fibre, innovative manufacturing, and business cases for attracting investment to new value added wood manufacturing. The focus was sharing ideas on how to strengthen and diversify value-added manufacturing on Vancouver Island.

• Access to fibre is the number one issue for existing and potential manufacturers – an issue that VIEA is working with industry, First Nations and government to solve.
• A set of recommendations developed at the forum were sent to the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development to help inform decision-making. 
• VIEA has also submitted an application for Rural Dividend funding for a pilot project to recover ‘waste’ wood for manufacturing while also reducing fire hazard.

 

Are you interested in what else is happening in Vancouver Island’s forestry sector? Consider attending the 2018 State of the Island Economic Summit for more insight into the industry.