Ginoogaming First Nation Begins Study Towards Goal of Constructing a Large Engineered-Wood-Product Mill On-Reserve

May 18, 2023

Ginoogaming First Nation – Ginoogaming First Nation (GFN) Chief and Council are excited to announce that the Government of Canada, under their Indigenous Forestry Initiative, is providing $300,000 in funding to study the construction of a large, engineered-wood-product mill (plant) on GFN. This project will benefit all area communities, existing industry players and government ministries and will rebuild, promote and stabilize the forest-based economy in the region for generations to come.

The study will look at how this project is in alignment with Ontario’s Forest Sector Strategy with respect to producing an increased harvest through the usage of an underutilized low-quality hardwood supply. Specifically, it will look at constructing an Oriented Strand Board (OSB) or Laminated Strand Lumber (LSL) mill utilizing approximately 600,000 m3 of poplar, aspen and birch from the Kenogami and surrounding forests.

GFN Chief Sheri Taylor stated, “this feasibility study will be used to entice investors both in Canada and internationally to partner with GFN to make this project a reality.” Taylor added, “this is an exciting time for Ginoogaming First Nation as we have a deep-seated desire to build a forest-based economy to benefit, not only our community, but other area Indigenous communities and the municipality of Greenstone. Longlac Wood Industries closed its plywood plant more than a decade ago. Since then, hardwood in the region has gone unutilized. This project will use this fibre to provide a huge economic benefit to the region.”

“For generations, many Indigenous communities were expressly left out of the opportunities to participate in the economy, leading to poverty and poor social outcomes. But when Indigenous communities and people succeed, Canada does better overall. This feasibility study to create a plant in Ginoogaming is an important step towards equal opportunity for the community to benefit from the forestry sector that operates all around them. I look forward to hearing about the results,” said the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services.

“The Government of Canada is supporting Indigenous-led economic initiatives across the country,” added the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources. “We are pleased to support Ginoogaming First Nation’s initiative to study the creation of a new plant that could support job creation and sustainable economic prosperity throughout the region.”

Background

  • The feasibility study is expected to be complete in the summer of 2023
  • GFN is employing Ontario-based experts to assist with the study including Kozar Engineering, Ne-Daa-Kii-Me-Naan Inc., ArboVitae Consulting Services and R J Knauff & Associates
  • It will be a GFN-led project using 600,000 m3 of unused aspen, poplar and birch from area forests to manufacture 550,000 sq. ft. of OSB or LSL for the building construction market
  • Engineered-wood products to support building and renovation markets
  • This project will have a sustainable wood supply and will use biomass for process heat
  • It will produce building products that will store carbon for generations
  • Construction of the plant will take approximately 36 months to complete at a cost of over $400 million
  • During the construction phase, hundreds of construction jobs will be created
  • Once in operation, the mill will have over 100 direct employees
  • Approximately 300 indirect jobs will be created in harvesting and transporting the wood and for those businesses that will supply/service the mill
  • The Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI) provides financial support to Indigenous-led economic development projects in Canada’s forest sector.

For more information, please contact:

Denan Kuni,
Director: Economic Development and Resource Management
Ginoogaming First Nation
Business: 807-876-2242
Cell: 647-839-5435
Email: denan.kuni@ginoogamingfn.ca

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