Ontario's value-added forest economy is taking shape with a new provincial plan to attract private investment by utilizing forest waste.
The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is asking for companies to outline their ideas to create 'green jobs' by making use of unused tree tops, limbs and other wood waste on Crown land.
A request for expressions of interest will be open until March 3 and results will help the ministry determine the wood volume in the bush.
After a review, the ministry will determine "appropriate next steps, which may include a wood supply competitive process."
The provincial government envisions forest biofibre being used to produce wood pellets to generate electricity.
The McGuinty government has pledged to stop burning coal in its electricity generation by 2014 in favour of more environmentally-friendly fuels.
Ontario Power Generation has also issued a request for expressions of interest to procure biomass fuel, including wood pellets.
For details on the MNR's Request for Expressions of Interest, go online at www.ontario.ca/forests.
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