William Dale
Published online May 6, 2026, at www.pontiacjournal.com.
MANSFIELD — With renewed urgency and a table full of industry veterans, the newly formed MRC Pontiac Forestry Committee met April 15 at the Bryson House to chart a path forward for a sector that remains a cornerstone of the regional economy. Amid ongoing volatility and mill closures, the committee is turning its attention to the untapped potential of private forests and the resilience of local operations.
A key takeaway from the meeting was a strategic shift toward developing private woodlots. Estimates suggest that 75% to 80% of private forest land in the Pontiac is not actively managed.
Warden Jane Toller said establishing private forest management plans is a “win-win,” increasing property values and potential municipal tax revenue while supporting long-term forest health. To encourage participation, the committee is exploring a tax rebate for landowners who commit to professional management.
“Every tree has a life expectancy,” Toller said, noting that selective harvesting is essential to maintaining healthy forests while supporting local jobs.
While the regional narrative often centres on closures, the committee pointed to Scierie Lefebvre et Pharand inc. in Mansfield as a stable local employer. The mill, located along Jim’s Lake Road, has remained in operation and employs 22 people across two shifts.
Manager Yvon Migneault, a committee member, was recognized for maintaining operations. Forestry stakeholder Roy Hérault emphasized the need for collaboration to protect remaining industry anchors.
“We have to work together to get something back in here,” Hérault said. “We’re losing producers. We don’t have a market for our wood.”
The committee also highlighted the lack of a local market for pulp and biomass. While about 40% of a harvested tree is used for higher-value lumber, the remaining 60% — typically used for pulp — has limited outlets following the closure of regional facilities.
Toller said the MRC could take a similar approach in forestry to the investments it has made in recent agricultural projects, including the regional abattoir and the AgriSaveur initiative, which were funded to strengthen local production and processing capacity. She suggested comparable investments in forestry — such as support for chipping and debarking equipment or portable mills — could help producers process wood locally and develop new markets.
The meeting also marked the appointment of Régent Dugas, former territory manager for the MRC, as committee chair.
Members include mayors Colleen Larivière (Litchfield), Sandra Armstrong (Mansfield) and Joanne Ralston (Bryson); technical experts Martin Boucher, director general of Groupement forestier du Pontiac, and Jason Durand, MRC director of land use planning; and producers Frank Doyle and Roch Laroque of the Pontiac Forest Products Producers Board (PFPPB).
The committee plans to meet again in the coming months and has identified maintaining the PFPPB office in Shawville as a priority for supporting the region’s forestry sector.