The Government of Ontario is investing more than $9.4 million in 14 research, innovation and modernization initiatives to develop the untapped economic potential and environmental benefits of new and emerging uses of underutilized wood and mill by-products, collectively known as forest biomass.

Forest biomass is used in everything from food additives to building materials. It also has many emerging uses, including renewable natural gas, bioplastics and hydrogen – responsible alternatives to carbon-intensive products.

The following projects will receive funding from the $19.6 million Forest Biomass Program, which supports initiatives that harvest more wood from Crown forests, increase forest sector job creation and regional economic growth and find new uses for wood in collaboration with stakeholders, industry and Indigenous communities.
　

Modernization funding stream

• Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper Mill (Thunder Bay) – $5,000,000
  • The project will upgrade and improve equipment to modernize the mill’s electrical system, enabling future measures to expand green energy production, reduce emissions and increase forest biomass usage.

• Biopower Sustainable Energy Corp. (Atikokan) – $997,500
  • The project will increase production, improve efficiency and increase usage of forest biomass by acquiring new equipment and supporting modernization of the wood handling facility.

Innovative Bioproduct Manufacturing funding stream

• Whitesand First Nation (Thunder Bay) – $1,289,573
  • The project will support the use of forest biomass for heat and power generation by fulfilling site preparatory work to construct a wood pellet plant in Whitesand’s Bioeconomy Centre in Armstrong region.

• FPInnovations (Thunder Bay) – $250,000
  • The project will advance forest sector integration by identifying business opportunities among a biorefinery, forest operations and production facilities to support the development of a new wood biorefinery.

• Rutter Urban Forestry (Thunder Bay) – $245,000
  The project will support renewable energy production and deliver clean and cost-efficient heat generation by acquiring a mobile forest biomass chipper and tractor to produce heating chips.
  　

Source: news.ontario.ca