A new seven-figure federal-provincial investment aims to boost the competitiveness of northern Saskatchewan’s forestry sector.
Last week, Michelle Rempel, federal minister of state for Western Economic Diversification, and Fred Bradshaw, provincial legislative secretary to the minister of environment for forest management, announced $1.1 million in support for the Prince Albert Model Forest Association (PAMF).
With the help of its delivery partner, FPInnovations, PAMF will provide guidance to northern Saskatchewan forestry companies, particularly First Nations- and Métis-owned ones, to improve management and business practices, revise product lines and increase marketing activities to be ready to enter new international export markets.
Northern Saskatchewan’s forestry companies will also receive customized technical support to produce higher-value products designed to result in increased domestic and international sales.
FPInnovations will further provide support to companies to professionally market their products at international tradeshows.
Forestry is northern Saskatchewan’s second largest economic driver. First Nations and Métis people comprise over 15 per cent of the workforce – the largest percentage of Aboriginal forestry employees in Canada.
