| "EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Over the past nine years, the Canadian lumber industry has been exporting, on average, over 70 per cent of its production, which makes it a major contributor to the country's trade surplus, and a significant component of Canada's economic success. It also represents a substantial factor in this country's rural economy. Over the same nine-year period, total shipments more than doubled to reach $19.6 billion in 1999. Value-added products only represent a small percentage of this total, but they have experienced tremendous growth, and attracted industry and government attention for their ability to maximise wood product value and exports while creating employment opportunities.
This development results from a unique combination of forest resources and technological innovation giving birth to a variety of products responding to the requirements of major markets, especially in North America, Europe and Japan. As markets become more demanding, global competition more aggressive and distribution systems change (e.g., e-commerce) while traditional wood resources become less abundant, only technological innovation can allow the Canadian lumber industry to maintain and improve its position. This will require new log conversion technology (to extract maximum value from the existing resource on a sustainable basis) and new value-added products and systems (to respond to market needs with smarter solutions).
This Roadmap, developed by Forintek Canada Corp. in consultation with the lumber industry and its major partners, is designed to offer the industry and its stakeholders various technology-related targets to guide its continuing progress over the next 10 to 15 years. It was requested and funded by Industry Canada and by the provincial governments of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick.
In addition to Forintek specialists, consultants, equipment and software producers, the consultative process involved a steering committee representing government partners, and a significant number of representatives from the main sectors of the industry.
The Roadmap establishes the importance of innovation to the softwood and hardwood lumber industry and identifies new and promising technologies along with suggestions on technology development for the future. In addition, it covers two major branches of the secondary manufacturing industry: engineered wood products and appearance wood products. Treated wood products are covered in a separate section. Recommendations are laid out with respect to infrastructure and initiatives that could be included in national, regional or sector action plans, to help the industry to maintain its economic momentum through a stronger competitive position.
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