Region Archives: Canada East

The Québec Minister of Natural Resources and Forests and Minister Responsible for the Bas-Saint-Laurent Region and the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Region, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, today announced a maximum financial assistance of $2M, over three years, to FPInnovations to support the next phases of a truck platooning project aimed at modernizing forestry operations and mitigating the shortage of qualified drivers, during a visit to FPInnovations’ Québec laboratories along with president and CEO Stéphane Renou. The project aims to operate highly automated platooning trucks on low-traffic forest roads. Platooning involves connecting two or more trucks in convoy, using connectivity technology and automated driver assistance systems. The truck at the head of the platoon, with driver, acts as leader, with the vehicles behind it automatically adapting to changes in movement.

Quinte Conservation Authority (QCA) has announced a contribution of 10,357 hectares of conservation areas and reserves towards Canada’s international commitment to protect 30 per cent of lands and waters by 2030. Commonly known as the 30 by 30 target, it was adopted by nations around the world as part of the Global Biodiversity Framework at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15), said QCA. The target aims to protect biodiversity, mitigate impacts of climate change, and ensure the sustainability of ecosystems. “We’re proud to have 66 of our properties, totaling 10,357 hectares, officially included in the Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database, ” said Brad McNevin, chief administrative officer with Quinte Conservation.

A nearly snow-free winter and a drought-like kickoff to spring has firefighters warning of an early start to the fire season. Ottawa Fire Services, which issued an open-air burn ban on the weekend, has responded to eight grass fires in the past 10 days, including one Monday afternoon near Hazeldean Road in Stittsville. “It’s absolutely a concern. We were already looking at a very, very dry spring and there isn’t a lot of precipitation in the forecast,” said fire Chief Paul Hutt. Eighty per cent of the city’s area is rural land and the fire service has six rugged brush trucks that can respond to fires in off-road areas, he said. The fire service’s wild lands fire program has been up and running now for several weeks. …Ontario deployed additional fire rangers on March 4 to beef up its fire response, the ministry said.

Gary Schneider

…Ken Doiron of New Glasgow wondered what the Island is doing to replenish the massive loss of trees caused by Fiona. … What we found out is that the province is planting about 1.3 million seedlings this year. It’s working with watershed groups, and since about 90 per cent of the land on P.E.I. is privately owned, the government is offering financial assistance to woodlot owners to help them clear their land and replenish their stock. …Gary Schneider is the co-manager of the Macphail Woods Ecological Forestry Project. He said many of the trees that came down during Fiona were destined to fall in the next few years anyway. …Schneider gave the example of white spruce, which have shallow roots and were planted on old agricultural sites. For forests to be sustainable, he said, there needs to be a wide variety of hardier trees such as red oak.

Ontario’s NDP says the province’s plan to provide wildland firefighters and support staff with one-time incentive payments isn’t enough to attract and retain staff. Under the plan, which was announced Thursday, front-line fire, aviation and critical support staff will receive a one-time payment of up to $5,000, while other support staff will receive up to $1,000. …Graydon Smith, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, said “In addition to this incentive, we continue to explore longer-term strategies and solutions to support attraction and retention of critical jobs for future years.” …However, NDP MPP Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk—James Bay), said the plan doesn’t go far enough. “It doesn’t help to maintain or keep people in this field.” …The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents wildland firefighters, also criticized the government announcement. A media release from OPSEU notes the union did agree to the payments.

The City of Mississauga has received the 2023 Tree Cities of the World designation, renewing recognition of one of only 200 cities worldwide to be recognized for its commitment to urban and community forestry. Since 2020, this is the fourth time the City has received this prestigious honour. The program, on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Arbor Day Foundation, acknowledges cities that ensure their urban forests and trees are properly maintained, sustainably managed and celebrated. Mississauga is among 18 Canadian municipalities to receive the designation this year. 

TORONTO — Ontario plans to give front-line wildland firefighters and pilots a $5,000 bonus and make 100 of those jobs permanent in an effort to recruit and retain more workers. But the union representing those fire rangers says it’s little more than a drop in the bucket and will not fix the “dire and ongoing crisis.” Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Graydon Smith says the province wants more people fighting wildland fires and is planning a recruitment blitz ahead of the start of the wildfire season that begins in April. The majority of the 660 forest firefighters in the province are part-timers and the union representing them has long said that part-time work, along with low pay, are major problems in retaining them. Smith says the government is working on longer-term plans to stabilize the workforce, which will include the purchase of new equipment, including water bombers.

As a warm winter with little precipitation gives way to a dry spring, municipalities in northwestern Ontario are getting ready for a potentially intense wildfire season. Preparations for the season — which begins in less than two weeks — are underway in Red Lake, a municipality in the western reaches of the province that has faced several environmental challenges, including a full evacuation due to a wildfire in recent years. …The fire season officially begins on April 1. Mota said there’s “some general anxiety for a lot of our population, and of course for myself and council, in regards to having those preparations done.” “I’m hopeful that the MNRF will be hiring lots of crews. I know there’s been shortages of crews, and especially crew leaders, to take on new MNRF firefighters, so that’s also a concern for me as well.”

The state of Ontario’s forest industry, particularly the pulp mills that anchor it, is a matter of concern that demands immediate attention from the provincial government. There has been inadequate public and private investment in the sector causing a significant loss of production capacity. The industry has seen a continuous decline over the past few decades. …Job losses have unfortunately been a consequence of this downward trend. The recent announcements that two of Northern Ontario’s remaining four pulp mills have been idled indicates that the sector is not well. …Neither the government nor the forest industry seem to have a response to this situation. Ontario deserves better. …In light of this, it is imperative for the Ontario government to establish an independent expert panel to delve into why there has been a lack of major investment in Ontario’s forest sector for the past two to three decades.

BELLEVILLE, ON – Quinte Conservation Authority (QCA) proudly announces its contribution of 10,357 hectares of conservation areas and reserves towards Canada’s international commitment to protect 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030. Commonly known as the 30×30 target, it was adopted by nations around the world as part of the Global Biodiversity Framework at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15). The target aims to protect biodiversity, mitigate impacts of climate change and ensure the sustainability of ecosystems. Based on an assessment completed in partnership by Ontario Nature and QCA, it was determined that 66 properties meet the rigorous pan-Canadian standards, warranting their designation as protected areas in the national database that is monitored and maintained by Environment and Climate Change Canada. …The celebration of International Day of Forests on March 21st acknowledges the critical role that forests play in sustaining life on Earth. 

The National Tree Seed Centre houses a collection that now represents 273 of Canada’s 720 tree and shrub species. Preserving this genetic diversity is an ongoing job. A Nova Scotia mountain now has 110,000 more trees than it did in 2023. …But these weren’t just any seedlings. Throughout the preceding year, a conservation team collected millions of seeds from these species. Beginning in the fall of 2022 and through 2023, the team has harvested seeds from twenty-one different species in the park and shipped them to the National Tree Seed Centre (NTSC) in neighboring New Brunswick. There, tree seed specialists cleaned, dried, cataloged, and stored them indefinitely — depending on the species, seeds are viable for decades — so the park can access them anytime in the future for growing and planting. The NTSC then sent some of these seeds to a private forestry company that grew those 110,000 seedlings for planting in the park.

Canada is regarded as a country of spectacular nature, with magnificent forests. The boreal forest alone makes up 55 per cent of Canada’s land mass. In Ontario, 66 per cent of the land is made up of forests. The government wants you to think our forest management practices are beyond reproach. They aren’t. New research confirms that industrial logging isn’t ecologically sustainable. Rather, it’s rapidly degrading forest habitats and threatening species. A study by Brendan Mackey, from Griffith University in Australia, looked at forestry in Ontario and Quebec and found, “The Canadian Government claims that its forests have been managed according to the principles of sustainable forest management for many years, yet this notion of sustainability is tied mainly to maximizing wood production and ensuring the regeneration of commercially desirable tree species following logging.” …It’s past time to put words into action and do better at protecting forests. 

Rod Cumberland

A forestry college instructor who was found to be entitled to more than $50,000 for the way his employer fired him is seeking another $230,000 in damages. Rod Cumberland is appealing a May 2023 decision by New Brunswick Court of King’s Bench Chief Justice Tracey DeWare, who ruled he was only entitled to payment equalling seven months’ notice for his firing from the Maritime College of Forest Technology. On Tuesday, Paul Champ, Cumberland’s Ottawa-based lawyer, argued before three New Brunswick Court of Appeal judges that his client should have also received compensation for aggravating and punitive damages. “With the greatest respect to the chief justice and trial judge, this is a very troubling precedent for employment law,” Champ said in his opening arguments. “A very troubling precedent.” …The lawyer for the college, Clarence Bennett argued Cumberland is not entitled to punitive damages, as there’s no evidence the college’s conduct caused him to suffer “mental distress.”

NORTHERN ONTARIO — In just a few weeks, $10 billion will land in northern Ontario, but how it will be disbursed among the thousands of Robinson Huron Treaty members is causing confusion, concern, and even anger among some members of the 21 signatory First Nation communities. As the settlement amount from the Robinson Huron Treaty annuities claim is divided among each First Nation, members are being asked to vote on how much will be given to each individual person, and how much will be kept by the band. …The only time the annuity was increased was in 1874, when the government augmented it to $4 per person. It remains $4 per person today, despite the billions in dollars of resource wealth extracted from signatory territories over the past more than 100 years.

ONTARIO — A pilot community-science project that utilizes a 3D-printed trap is helping scientists track the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) discovered in a Haldimand County woodlot. The tiny insect’s presence can be determined by the wool it creates to protect itself and its eggs. …“In Canada the bug was discovered in southern Nova Scotia in 2017 causing significant mortality to old-growth hemlock forests,” said Laura Thomas of NRC Science Communications. “A large infestation was found in the Niagara region in 2019 and since then there have been one or two new detections every year in Ontario.” …HWA spread through bird migration at the crawler stage when they stick to birds’ legs and feathers. …The 3D-printed traps are being deployed in woodlots containing hemlock trees … in higher-risk areas. …people who own or manage property with hemlock trees in Southwestern Ontario can join the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Monitoring Network at invasivespeciescentre.ca.

Quebec had planned to nearly double its timber harvest by 2080, but the targets are now being called into question due to wildfires, climate disruption, and the province’s commitments to protect territory, Radio-Canada’s ICI Quebec reported. …Now, that plan is being called into question by Quebec’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Among the factors being considered, the MNRF points to the threat of forest fires and the province’s commitments to protected areas. Quebec wants to reach a goal of 30% protected areas on its territory by 2030. Furthermore, a recent MNRF study shows Quebec plantations are not meeting expected yields, Radio-Canada’s ICI Quebec reported. Due to recent forest fires, Quebec has already reduced its allowable cut for the 2023–28 period on the recommendation of the Office of the Chief Forester. Some 1.3 million hectares of forests burned in 2023, including 920,000 hectares subject to calculations of the allowable cut in public forests.

DUNDAS, ON – The Bruce Trail Conservancy (BTC) is thrilled to announce the creation of the MapleCross Nature Reserve at Hope Bay, forever preserving 463 acres on the majestic Saugeen (Bruce) Peninsula. The creation of this nature reserve protects an ecological corridor containing dense interior forest, a declining habitat in Ontario. This environment is critical for area-sensitive bird species, such as American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler and Ovenbird, as well as mammals like the elusive Fisher and Black bear. This area also boasts cliff and talus features, which are uncommon in Ontario and provide sheltered habitats for many rare bats and snakes. The MapleCross Nature Reserve at Hope Bay will preserve these precious ecosystems, ensuring a natural haven where wildlife can thrive.

As a new study declares major changes are needed to protect biodiversity and wildlife in Quebec’s boreal forests, the Cree and other First Nations are increasingly resistant to forestry activities in the region. In the scientific journal Land, researchers analyzed data over 40 years to show the cumulative impacts of commercial logging. Intact old-growth forests most crucial to caribou and other species were found to be dwindling to “a vast scatter of patches” across “a highly anthropically disturbed forest.” While the industry promotes its sustainable practices, plantation efforts focus on “commercially desirable” trees that maximize wood production. …At a “Future of the Forest” roundtable with the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts (MRNF) on February 15, Kebaowek Chief Lance Haymond alleged that MRNF consultations are “superficial” with decisions made unilaterally.

TINY, ON — Canada and Ontario are working together to protect and conserve biodiversity, habitat, and species at risk in Ontario by expanding and establishing new protected areas. Protecting and conserving species at risk, and their habitat, requires collaboration. The Governments of Canada and Ontario are working together to protect environmentally sensitive land throughout the province. The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Environment announced an investment of nearly $10 million over three years to support the expansion of protected areas in the province. The agreement will see the addition of new—or expansion of existing—protected areas, including provincial parks and conservation reserves across Ontario. Canada’s investment is made through the Enhanced Nature Legacy program and contributes to Canada’s goal of protecting 30 percent of land and water in Canada by 2030. 

KAWARTHA LAKES, ONTARIO -Two new and unique Forestry programs at Fleming College are preparing students for careers in a growing industry. Fleming’s new Forestry Equipment Operator certificate is the only one of its kind offered in Ontario. This 15-week course provides students with introductory training in heavy forestry equipment operation, forestry principles and proper safety techniques. The course also focuses on preventive maintenance, minor repairs, forest fire preparedness, forestry operations and harvest systems. Applied learning is a big part of Fleming’s Forestry Techniques program. This two-semester course teaches the skills to conduct field work and forest management operations in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence and Boreal Forest regions. Students graduate ready to move directly into the workforce. Fleming has also reworked its Forestry Technician-Adaptive Practices program that includes a paid co-op, providing students with networking opportunities as they meet and work alongside professionals within the forestry industry.

In 2019, I broke the news that the Doug Ford government would weaken the role of the conservation authorities that have protected Ontario watersheds for nearly 80 years. …This tension played out for five years. In that time, conservation authorities tried to work with the government to address its concerns while still protecting watersheds, but Ontario kept reducing their powers. …As you’ll read in my latest story, Ontario’s minister of natural resources will soon be able to overrule conservation authority permit denials, or the conditions they put in place to protect the environment. Developers can ask the minister to review denials and permits, and challenge the studies used to justify those. It will be easier to build docks and other small structures, even in places prone to floods, and the distance between development and sensitive shorelines and wetlands has been reduced. These changes take effect April 1, but they aren’t a joke.