The forest products industry has been a staple of the Canadian economy for generations. Providing careers as a forester, a millwright, an ecologist or a process engineer, the forest products sector continues to support families in hundreds of rural communities.
According to the Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC), more than 650 Canadian communities rely on forestry. Half of those depend on forestry for at least 50% of household income, and about 160 of those communities are solely reliant on forestry.
Operating some 40 manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States, Resolute knows what it means to be the economic backbone of a community. This series of blogposts, Building Resilient Communities through Sustainable Forestry, will provide a snapshot of the value Resolute generates within our operating communities – as an employer of choice, a taxpayer, a community partner and as an engaged neighbor.
Resolute operates the Atikokan, Ignace and Thunder Bay sawmills; the Northwestern Ontario and Thunder Bay woodlands operations; as well as a pellet plant and pulp and paper mill in Thunder Bay. We employ over 900 direct employees and provide nearly 3000 jobs in indirect employment in the Northern Ontario region. In total, Resolute contributes over C$450 million to the region in salaries, operational expenditures and taxes.
Each of these operations continues to improve its sustainability performance. In addition to reducing direct and indirect emissions by 37% and 99% from 2000 levels at the Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill, we also maintain certification of 100% of the forests we manage to at least one of two internationally recognized forest management standards: Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®).
For more information on the economic benefits and sustainability highlights of our northern Ontario operations, download this factsheet (available in English only).
