Overview

The forest sector builds strong communities and a stronger economy. Our roadmap commits to leveraging Ontario’s advantages and supercharging innovation to modernize the forest industry.

Guided by the roadmap, we are protecting and creating jobs, helping businesses grow and ensuring the province’s forest sector remains competitive in changing and challenging global markets.

Collaboration and partnership

Our roadmap was informed by input we received from ministry-led roundtables, 7 tours across Ontario between May and September 2025, and ongoing collaboration with the Forest Sector Strategy Committee and the Advanced Wood Committee.

We will continue to work with these committees, along with Indigenous communities, municipalities, sectoral associations and the public, as we achieve the roadmap’s goals and deliver new opportunities for the forest sector.

A Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector

The roadmap, released on April 28, 2026, sets out goals and actions over 2-, 5- and 10-year horizons that fall under the following 3 pillars.

An Illustrated icon with a shield and 3 people gathered together below.

Defend

We’ll reduce the impact of duties and tariffs and work with industry and governments to improve trade conditions.

An illustrated icon of a lumber mill with a pine tree on the roof and 2 arrows arranged in a semi-circle.

Adapt

We’ll remove regulatory burden and red tape, modernize key facilities and unlock new export markets.

An illustrated icon of 3 trees at varying heights and a diagonal arrow above.

Grow

We’ll increase domestic wood use and commercialize groundbreaking products to attract global investment and power ongoing expansion

Read the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector.

Investing in our forest sector

Ontario’s targeted investment programs increase the forest sector’s competitive advantage, strengthen industry supply chains and create jobs and opportunity in communities across the province.

Investments under these programs advance the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, building a more productive, diversified and resilient forest sector to power Ontario’s self-reliant economy.

Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program

$98 million to fund 27 projects to enhance forest sector productivity and efficiency.

Forest Biomass Program

$50 million committed to over 55 research, innovation and modernization initiatives.

Provincial Forest Access Roads Funding Program

$458 million invested since 2018 to maintain and develop essential forest roads.

Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program

Our Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program enhances forest sector productivity and efficiency to make Ontario forest products more competitive in a changing global economy.

The program gives businesses the tools and technology they need to:

  • build on their strengths
  • reinforce forestry supply chains
  • protect regional economies

Learn more about the Forest Sector Investment and Innovation Program.

Forest Biomass Program

Our Forest Biomass Program equips the forest sector to manufacture new products and seize high-value markets for bioenergy, biochemicals and biomaterials.

The program invests in projects that:

  • increase long-term wood use
  • promote forest sector innovation
  • support sustainable forest management by maximizing the value of wood

Learn more about the Forest Biomass Program.

Provincial Forest Access Roads Funding Program

Our Forest Access Roads Funding Program invests in the maintenance and expansion of Ontario’s forest roads, which are essential infrastructure in forestry-dependent communities. The program develops and maintains rural roads used by:

  • the forest industry
  • mining companies
  • utilities
  • railways
  • hunters
  • campers
  • anglers
  • emergency responders
  • Indigenous communities

Learn more about the Provincial Forest Access Roads Funding Program.

Forest Biomass Action Plan

Our Forest Biomass Action Plan provides a framework to create opportunities and markets for mill by-products and underused wood, known as forest biomass.

Under the action plan, we produced a research summary (PDF) of emerging uses for forest biomass that will help develop Ontario’s bioeconomy — an economy powered by renewable resources.

We also completed an interim report, outlining our actions to implement the Forest Biomass Action Plan.

Read the Forest Biomass Action Plan Interim Report.

Wood Measurement Modernization Plan

To enhance forest sector productivity and sustainable forest management, our Wood Measurement Modernization Plan improves how Ontario tracks, measures and values Crown forest resources.

Actions under the plan will:

  • reduce regulatory burden
  • grow forest sector talent
  • help the industry adopt new technologies

Read the Wood Measurement Modernization Plan.

Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan

Our Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan positions Ontario to lead the fast-growing sector of prefabricated and modular wood-based building.

By increasing the manufacturing and use of wood building materials, the action plan drives growth in forestry and brings forward more materials to build the homes and businesses our growing communities need.

Read Ontario’s Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan.

Next steps

To implement the roadmap, we are working across government, with industry stakeholders, Indigenous communities and external partners, including 2 groups of leaders, innovators and experts:

  • the Forest Sector Strategy Committee, providing business, economic development and resource management expertise to inform our ongoing actions to build forest sector success
  • the Advanced Wood Committee, promoting, prioritizing and accelerating wood-based building to unlock new business opportunities and attract investments that create and sustain local jobs

We will develop key performance indicators for the roadmap in 2026 and report annually on our progress.