News Release

FREDERICTON (CNB) - Stakeholders will meet in Fredericton on Friday, Nov. 19, for a one-day forestry summit to discuss critical issues facing the industry and identify the fundamentals for future success, Natural Resources Minister Bruce Northrup announced today.

"Our government is committed to getting New Brunswick's forest industry back on track after a number of difficult years of business closures and weak export markets," said Northrup. "This summit will provide stakeholders, industry observers and government with the opportunity to address the critical issues facing the industry and begin the work to renew and strengthen the single biggest sector of our economy.''

Hosting a summit on the forest industry is among the 10 by 10 commitments contained in Putting New Brunswick First.

The theme of the summit is New Brunswick's Forest Industry: Fundamentals for Future Competitiveness.

"The forest sector is critical to providing wealth and employment to New Brunswickers,'' said Northrup. "The purpose of this summit is to bring together key stakeholders for meaningful dialogue on the competitive issues facing today's forest sector and to identify the fundamentals for future success.''

The forest industry makes up seven per cent of the province's gross domestic product and employs about 16,000 New Brunswickers, mostly in rural areas.

Summit participants will examine the challenges and opportunities facing forest companies, private woodlot operators and others involved in the industry. They will be asked to propose solutions to make the industry sustainable and competitive.

"We all need to recognize that the forest industry in New Brunswick and throughout North America has undergone tremendous change over the past decade,'' said Premier David Alward. "Some of the traditional products we relied upon in the past are no longer part of our industry. We need to work together to see where we can be competitive on a global scale and to determine how each of us can contribute to a sustainable and successful forest industry.''

Representatives from forest companies, private woodlot owners, First Nations, maple sugar producers, universities, and environmental groups have been invited to the summit.

The featured speakers are Catherine Cobden, vice-president of economics and regulatory affairs with the Forest Products Association of Canada, and Don Roberts of CIBC World Markets Inc. Roberts was the co-author of Future Opportunities for the Forest Products Industry in New Brunswick, which looked at investment opportunities in the province's forest sector.