Canada is the second largest exporter of primary forest products
in the world, after the U.S. Canada’s forest sector is among the
top five contributors to the nation's net trade. The forest
industry is an important employer in many regions of Canada,
particularly in rural and remote communities. Major forest
products include softwood lumber, structural panels, newsprint,
pulp and various paper products. The development and production
of many new and innovative products is also underway in the
sector. These products range from bioenergy and bioplastics to
new building systems. A sector in transition In recent years,
Canada’s forest industry has been refocusing its business model
to help the sector adapt to new challenges. Recent challenges
include: a worldwide economic downturn; strengthening of the
Canadian dollar against the currencies of our key competitors; a
structural decline in North American newsprint demand; and
increased competition from other forest product suppliers.
Recovering from these difficult