The Ontario government has officially announced the establishment of its first, and long-awaited, Local Forest Management Corporation.
The Nawiinginokiima Forest Management Corporation (Ojibway for “working together”) is a new government agency assigned to manage and oversee the sale of timber along the north shore of Lake Superior. It is one of two pilot programs previously announced by the province to test a new forest tenure management system.
The plan calls for the corporation to manage the forest management units of Nagagami Forest, White River Forest, Big Pic Forest, Black River Forest and the Pic River Ojibway Forest.
The units are in the vicinity of White River, Pic River First Nation, Manitouwadge and Marathon.
The corporation will be operational by the spring of 2013.
Natural Resources Minister Michael Gravelle said in a June 26 release that the province has been working closely with the communities, First Nation and industry to modernize the system in how companies access wood and how it will be priced.
“The establishment of this new forest management model is a major step that will help make Ontario's forest industry more competitive, attract new investment and create jobs.”
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