Global trade has changed background. To take up this challenge, the new government of Canada is developing an exhaustive industrial strategy. He will invest in domestic production, will perfect Canadian know-how, help our companies modernize and reinvest, and provide our industries with the support necessary to adapt to a booming Canadian market and the needs of reliable business partners worldwide.
As part of this strategy, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced today a train of new measures to help the timber industry to transform and support competition. These measures will help to carry out the full potential of the industry in a context where we seek to accelerate the construction of housing and large infrastructure and to stimulate long -term economic growth based on Canadian resources and innovation.
The new government of Canada will take the following measures:
- Offer up to $ 700 million in loan guarantees To lighten the current pressures that the building wood sector undergoes. In this way, companies will be able to obtain funding and support for the credit they need to maintain and restructure their activities during this transformation period.
- Invest $ 500 million to energize the diversification of products and markets So that industry can better support long -term competition. As technology will transform construction methods and demand for lumber will increase, this measure will increase transformation and production activities with added value to the country. This investment will also provide for initiatives allowing the expansion and diversification of forest companies led by Aboriginal people.
- Build by favoring the use of Canadian materials in construction and by modifying federal markets processes In order to demand that companies that conclude a contract with the federal government are obtaining Canadian wood. The government will carry out its mandate consisting in carrying out major infrastructure projects faster and increasing the pace of the construction of houses to reach nearly 500,000 new houses per year during the next decade and, in doing so, will ensure that wood and other Canadian materials are favored in the context of construction works. Once the Maisons Canada program in place, the government will offer funding to manufacturers of innovative houses in the private sector in Canada who will use Canadian technologies and resources such as solid wood and wood.
- Diversify international markets For Canadian wood products obtained sustainablely. We will launch a new initiative in order to diversify the exports of Canadian wood products, in particular by revitalizing federal programs aimed at increasing access to foreign markets where high -quality sustainable and innovative products would be sent. In the rapid booster regions where demand for housing and other infrastructure increases, we will promote the affordable and lasting solution that is Canadian timber.
- Invest $ 50 million to support improvement and recycling skills and offer new income support measures to more than 6,000 workers affected in the lumber industry as part of the development of the labor market. This investment is added to the temporary improvements made to the Employment Insurance Plan (AE) and the shared work program of the AE. It will allow us to offer workers the tools and training they need to support competition and help them adapt to new technologies, strengthen their know-how and excel in industries in full processing.
The Canadian economy goes from dependence on resilience. During this transformation period, these measures will allow Canadian lumber and workers to adapt, and they will come out even stronger.
Citations
“The forest sector is at the heart of the Canadian economy. As we go from dependence on resilience, the new Government of Canada will ensure that the industry can transform to seize new opportunities in Canadian and international markets. In this evolving global context, we favor what we have a grip, that is to say to build a strong Canada with Canadian know-how and Canadian timber. »»
“The Canadian forest sector is at the center of our economy. It provides nearly 200,000 good jobs in rural and urban communities and generates billions of dollars each year in Canadian GDP and exports. Thanks to the measures announced today and the measures already in place, we are committed to protecting this nerve industry as well as workers who are the engine. »»
“Today’s announcement is the unshakable will of the Government of Canada to support the Canadian economy and workers who provide strength. By consolidating this essential industry and ensuring the resilience of supply chains, we support industry, workers and communities to allow Canada to remain a global trading partner. »»
“The world is changing and Canada must be ready to take up the challenges of our time. This is why the government takes action to support the workers and industries who build Canada, day after day. By strengthening what we have here with us and defending Canada, we make sure that our country remains strong, competitive and ready to play a leading role. »»
“Canada’s natural resources are a pillar of our national identity, in addition to constituting the basis of our economy. To preserve Canadian jobs and communities and assure them a prosperous future, we must absolutely protect and modernize our industry from the exploitation of resources in the face of customs duties and global uncertainty. »»
Protruding facts
- The Canadian forest sector is a major economic engine which employs nearly 200,000 people, including more than 11,000 natives, and adds more than $ 20 billion to our GDP.
- In 2024, 66 % of the total production of Canada’s duration was exported, including almost 90 % to the United States.
- On July 25, 2025, the US trade department doubled customs duties on timber products from Canada, and other increases were expected later this month.
- New innovative forest products, such as engineering wood, biofuels and biodegradable packaging materials based on forest products, help Canada reach carbonutrality by 2050 and allow more sustainable and more efficient housing solutions.
- The new Government of Canada will double the pace of housing construction to reach nearly 500,000 new dwellings per year during the next decade. This measure alone will double the amount of Canadian lumber used in residential construction, which is equivalent to an increase of almost 2 billion-grain. In addition, it will double demand in structural panels, which represents an increase of approximately a billion square feet.
- Once in place, the Maisons Canada program will prioritize the use of materials manufactured in Canada, including wood, in order to accelerate the construction of housing while supporting Canadian workers and industries.