July 5, 2022 Lac-Mégantic, Quebec Natural Resources Canada
There is no solution to climate change, biodiversity loss and a net-zero future that does not involve Canada's forests. Forests serve Canadians in innumerable ways: as stores of carbon, as habitat for wildlife, as necessary for human health and well-being, and as a source of employment and good jobs. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting innovation and transformative technology in Canada's forest sector to increase resiliency in the sector and to maximize what long-lived wood products can bring to a net-zero economy.
That's why the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, is pleased to celebrate the inauguration of Tafisa Canada's new facility and its new lacquered panel line, called LUMMIA, in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. The new line project is benefiting from $4 million from the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program, which supports Canada's forest sector in becoming more economically competitive and environmentally sustainable through targeted investments in advanced technologies.
This innovative project will reduce Tafisa's environmental footprint, including through the use of recycled wood, thereby saving millions of trees every year. It furthers competitiveness in a new market while strengthening local supply chains and diversifying Tafisa's product line. The project consists of the installation and commissioning of the new product line, as well as performance upgrades to one of Tafisa's Lac-Mégantic facilities that supports hundreds of jobs. Tafisa's introduction of this lacquered panel line will not only add a new product line to their portfolio but also feature some of the most cutting-edge technology in North America for low-carbon building materials.
Natural Resources Canada's IFIT program facilitates the adoption of transformative technologies and products by bridging the gap between development and commercialization. IFIT-funded projects help diversify the forest product market through high-value bioproducts such as bioenergy, biomaterials, biochemicals and next-generation building products.
