Forestry workers could benefit from new markets

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Gaëtan Forgues


Gaëtan Forgues

LITCHFIELD – On April 9, Pontiac MNA, Andre Fortin visited the Jovalco Mill, located on Highway 148, just east of Fort-Coulonge, to announce, on behalf of Laurent Lessard, Minister of Forest, Wildlife, and Parks, that the government will allow beneficiaries of guaranteed timber supplies, logging permit holders supplying mills with wood from Crown lands, and beneficiaries of sales contracts with the regional BMMB (Bureau de mise en marché du bois) to sell unwanted or unsold round timber from Crown land to mills outside the province until March 31, 2018. Before the announcement, Gaëtan Tourgeon, Jovalco President, and Martin Herault, Jovalco Vice-President, gave a guided tour of the mill.
Provisions in the law regarding forest management and harvesting allow the government to authorize the sale of wood outside the province if buyers are not found within Quebec. Manufacturers and forestry workers in the Pontiac could benefit from more opportunities to sell their wood products and timber, thus increasing their profitability. Fortin said the initiative takes into account the needs and realities of regions located along a provincial border, such as the Pontiac.
Herault added that the initiative is a step in the right direction, but a more immediate need for Jovalco is more accessible cutting rights that would permit a constant supply of timber for the mill.