Forest Products Association of Canada / Association des produits forestiers du Canada
Registration:
37
of
86
(2014-01-16
to
2014-01-16)
Grant, Contribution or Other Financial Benefit
- Extend funding to continue supporting NSERC or other appropriate body for University-led forest industry research.
- Extending funding for the Investment in Forest Industry Transformation Program.
Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
- Advocating for a strong federal Species at Risk Act that will provide strong protection for species and that will encourage stewardship and support voluntary leadership initiatives like the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.
Policies or Program
- Advocating for support for the industry's Vision 2020 Challenge, a set of aspirational goals for the sector in the areas of human resources, environmental performance, and increased revenue from new products and markets.
- Border Security - To minimize the cost related to the time truckloads and rail car loads of forest products spend at the Canada/U.S. border in compliance with U.S. Customs and border security regulations.
- Challenge federal initiatives that may increase members' transportation costs (e.g. Canadian Coast Guard ice-breaking fees, Canadian Transport Agency's cost of capital methodology).
- Creating greater competition in the transportation sector so as to improve the efficiency of the transportation system in Canada especially in relation to rail freight transportation.
- Discussing economic challenges affecting countries around the world in relation to Canada's industrial policies with focus on the renewal of the forest sector.
- Effluent and Water Policy - Identifying government policy barriers to reducing water used by the pulp and paper industry and developing ways to overcome these barriers and improve industry performance.
- Expanding the eligibility criteria of Sustainable Development Technology Canada Next Gen Bio-fuels Fund to cover the full spectrum of bio-energy/bio-products opportunities.
- General review of all forest sector files and update on state of the industry to give public officials a better understanding of recent industry developments and key issues.
- Implementation of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.
- Industrial policy options in response to U.S. government subsidies to American-based competitors.
- Support changes to the federal tax system, such as the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance and the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR and ED) program, to encourage greater capital investment in the Canadian forest sector.
- Support forest sector's current and future employment needs. (e.g. E.I., Immigration, Mobility, Skilled Trades, Accreditation Policy, Labour Market Information, Apprenticeship, Canada Job Grant)
- Support greater rate relief in the rail sector
- Support immediate implementation of Rail Freight Service Review's recommendations to enhance rail competition and to ensure members obtain suitable and adequate rail service and an enhanced ability to challenge poor service levels.
- Support measures to assist companies with defined benefit pension plans meet their obligations.
- Support the Softwood Lumber Agreement with a view to preserving market access for Canadian lumber producers.
- Support the interests of canadian dissolving pulp producers against anti-dumping measures imposed by China.
- Support the interests of the canadian forest sector with respect to the Japan Wood Points initiative
- Tracking bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to ensure forest sector views are understood.
- Working with Fisheries and Oceans Canada to help implement the new Fisheries Act. This may involve developing a standard for low-risk activities within the forest sector
Regulation
- Canadian Environmental Protection Act Chemical Management plans. The forest products industry uses chemicals that may be assessed and regulated under legislation. The Forest Products Association of Canada is voluntarily and proactively assisting the government with data collection on substances being assessed. As the government addresses individual substances, FPAC may advocate for effective and efficient management tools.
- Fish Habitat and Effluent Policy (inland waters) - The Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) program is part of the pulp and paper effluent regulations. This is a very complex program that is always evolving and is currently moving from simply monitoring effects to investigation of causes of effects and investigation solutions. Industry must track this evolution to stay in compliance with the regulation.
- Motor Carrier/Road - To promote harmonization of vehicle weights and dimensions across Canada and throughout North America and to ensure that cargo securement regulations for transporting forest products are the same throughout North America so that a mill can load a trailer of forest products in Nova Scotia and know that it in compliance with all regulations across the Continent.
- Possible rail transportation regulations related to safety and insurance.
- Possible regulations to enhance Bill C-52, Fair Rail Freight Service Act, as they pertain to shipper requirements.
- Regulations and voluntary programs pertaining to greenhouse gas emissions under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. The federal government as indicated that it will develop regulations under the authorities provided by CEPA, 1999. These forthcoming regulatory measures have the potential to affect the forest products industry.
- Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions: targets for the reduction of specific air pollutants from the pulp and paper and wood products sectors; and amendments to the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations.