NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2012JTI0082-000980 July 5, 2012

Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation

 

$2.3-million Wood First program supports B.C. forest industry

 

VICTORIA – More than $2.3 million is being invested this year in the Wood First program to broaden the use of B.C. wood products in commercial, government and mid-rise buildings.

 

The 2012-13 Wood First Investment Strategy allocates available Wood First funding to the following strategic objectives:

·         Grow the culture of living and building with wood in B.C. and beyond.

·         Maximize the appropriate use of wood in public and private projects.

·         Strengthen B.C.’s capacity to produce high-quality wood-based products and building systems.

·         Accelerate adoption of existing and emerging wood-based products and building systems.

·         Position B.C. as a world leader in sustainable and innovative wood-based products and building systems in design, production, and application.

 

Funding priorities reflect the recommendations of an expert panel of architects, engineers, code specialists, builders and industry representatives, the Wood First Advisory Committee. The panel sets the overall Wood First strategy and recommends investment priorities. Based on those recommendations, funding is being provided to FPInnovations, the BC Wood Specialties Group, the Canadian Wood Council’s Wood WORKS! BC program, and the Centre for Advanced Wood Processing at the University of British Columbia to deliver on the objectives of the Wood First program.

 

Chaired by Jess Ketchum of Ketchum Communications, the 12-member Wood First Advisory Committee was formed last fall to advocate and educate for wood and related industries.

 

WOOD FIRST ADVISORY COMMITTEE

 

Name                          Organization                                                  Representing

 

Jess Ketchum               Ketchum Communications                              Committee Chair

Michael Green                        Michael Green Architecture                           Architect

Andrew Harmsworth  GHL Consultants                                              Building Codes/Fire Safety

Loren Cavallin             Perkins & Will                                                 Designer

Eric Karsh                    Equilibrium Consulting                                   Engineer

Brent Comber             Brent Comber Originals                                 Art and Design

Dave Fisher                 Mitsui Homes                                                  Value-Add Industry

Jeff Popham                Island Precision Manufacturing                      Value-Add Industry

Mike Pidlisecky           Woodtone                                                       Value-Add Industry

Reynold Hert               Former CEO, Western Forest Products          Primary Industry

Wayne Clogg               Former VP, West Fraser                                 Primary Industry

Witmar Abele             KMBR Architects                                             Architect

Doug MacFarlane       ITC Construction Group                                  Construction

 

Wood First is the B.C. government’s comprehensive program to expand the use of wood products and building systems provincially. The program is managed by FII, the province’s market development agency for forest products.

 

The government of B.C. has been funding Wood First initiatives since 2009, when the Wood First Act was introduced, to increase demand for wood products by requiring provincially funded building projects to use wood as the primary construction material.

 

 

Quotes:

 

Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell –

“Increasing the use of wood in British Columbia is a priority and I am pleased to be able to announce our financial commitment to the Wood First initiative. Under the leadership of the advisory committee, we will see a growing awareness of the benefits of wood use in building and of the role our innovative industry can play worldwide. We are grateful to this group of experts for providing their valuable time to a very important initiative.”

 

Jess Ketchum, chair, Wood First Advisory Committee –

“This is a group of best-in-class leaders from their respective industry sectors and the first set of recommendations will enhance the ability to grow the appropriate use of wood products in B.C. and beyond. The committee is proud of the advice it provided earlier this year to FII, and we look forward to building on that work in the upcoming year.”

 

 

Learn More:

 

Naturally Wood:  http://www.naturallywood.com/

Forestry Innovation Investment:  http://www.bcfii.ca/

To find out more about ‘The BC Jobs Plan’, visit:  http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/

 

 

Contact:

Media Relations Government Communications and Public Relations Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation 250 356-7104

 

Connect with the Province of B.C. at: www.gov.bc.ca/connect