CANADA – The Government of Canada is investing in a clean energy future while strengthening its forest sector from coast to coast. By finding innovative ways to leverage new market opportunities, Canada is ensuring the global competitiveness of its forest sector.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources  announced a CAD 1-million contribution to the Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario (WMCO) to support a study involving 10 collaborating wood manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) across three industry segments (cabinetry, commercial millwork and furniture). This study will highlight the importance of industry-led clusters to identify and leverage new opportunities for the wood manufacturing sector.

This project aims to integrate Industry 4.0 technology for the optimization of information and material flow in order to establish an industry roadmap for SMEs. This roadmap will enable future investments and demonstrates the role of Canada’s forest manufacturing enterprises in utilizing innovative technologies.

Funding for this project is provided through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program, which encourages the Canadian forest sector to adopt innovative technologies and processes to establish new product streams and emerging markets. By investing in innovative forest sector technologies, the forest sector is providing greener solutions that help tackle climate change and transition to a low-carbon economy while increasing its competitiveness on a national and global scale.