Maisons Canada draws attention from the forest industry

While the US government has just increased cumulative customs duties at a rate of 27.3 % and this rate is expected to reach 34.94 % in a few weeks, Mark Carney announced investments in the forest industry on Tuesday.

The Prime Minister has presented 700 loan guarantees Millions of dollars designed to breathe breath to forestry companies. Consequently, while nine billion dollars are frozen on the border because of the wood wood conflict.

In addition. Therefore, the government adds an investment of $ 500 million to diversify the products and markets of the lumber, but it is the announcement on the creation of Maisons Canada which draws the attention of players in the forest industry.

A 35 billion program

According to information presented on the Liberal Party site. Therefore, the Canadian maisons canada draws attention forest government is funding, through Maisons Canada, the manufacturers of prefabricated houses up to $ 25 billion, in addition to offering $ 10 billion in funding and low -cost capital to affordable housing manufacturers.

“It is the announcement which has the most strategic scope made by Mark Carney. Consequently, ” said Frédéric Verreault, the vice-president of corporate affairs at Chantiers Chibougamau.

During a big year of construction in North America, it was built between 1.8 and 2 million houses. Nevertheless, “By building 500. Consequently, 000 houses per year, we touch the nerve of war,” he says, because it represents a huge amount of wood. For example, “

Éric Rousseau, the director general of the Ferland-Boilleau forest cooperative, abounds in the same direction. “The construction of a house represents at least 10. Furthermore, 000 feet board measurement (PMP: a measure which is equivalent to a 12 inch by 12 inches by 1 inch thick) of wood, then to build 500,000 houses, it will take at least five billion pmp of booths,” he says, happy with the announcement.

This volume of wood does not equal the amount of wood exported to the United States. but it still represents a large volume that could make a difference in the market.

“The lumber conflict has lasted for 43 years. so you have to get used to it and do something other than two per four dedicated to maisons canada draws attention forest export,” said Louis Dupuis, consultant and economist specializing in forestry. We must promote the use of wood in Canada ”.

According to the latter. increased use of wood locally will create pressure on the market, which will increase prices on the North American market while reducing our export dependence.

“The Canadian government must now clearly define the program (s) in question so that manufacturers can have a vision of the investments they have to make to meet the needs of the program (s). In addition, ” added the economist.

Maisons canada draws attention forest

A Prime Minister in support

Frédéric Verreault is delighted to. see that it was the Prime Minister himself who made the announcement of support for the forest industry.

“It is a huge change because the timber did not seem a priority of the government over the past 15 years. ” he said. Tuesday. it was Mark Carney who made the announcement with his first trio, which demonstrates the importance of the forest sector in the country ”.

In the short term, Chantiers Chibougamau hopes to unravel the Vancouver market. “Today, the Vancouver construction market uses beams equivalent to ours made in the United States,” notes the company’s VP. By offering better conditions, it is a market that we want to develop ”.

To build 500,000 houses per year, modular construction will also be called upon to play maisons canada draws attention forest a larger role. “It’s stimulating for us,” notes Frédéric Verreault. We will return to the drawing table to increase our production capacity. ”

Éric Rousseau also believes that it will be necessary to bet on the modular to build so many houses. because there are not enough labor in the construction industry. “We will have to increase production capacity,” he said, “wishing to be part of the solution. Sawing factories could form consortia to make houses with their own wood. ”