Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members, for the opportunity to be here.

I'm happy to speak to you today on behalf of the Forest Products Association of Canada.

FPAC represents Canada's forest sector nationally, with members operating in nearly every province across Canada. Our members are leaders in sustainable forest management and are committed to ensuring that our forests continue to provide environmental, social and economic benefits to Canadians.

The impacts of climate change, including more extreme wildfires, pose a significant threat not only to our forest ecosystems but also to the communities that depend on them. The tragedy that unfolded in Jasper is a sobering reminder that our forests and the people who live and work in and around them are at growing risk.

I have three main points I want to share with you today.

First, there is a need for proactive action. You've heard this from other panellists. We acknowledge that the federal government has made efforts to address wildfire risk and to enhance resilience, including the very recent investment in the wildfire resilient futures initiative. However, this funding, which included greater support for FireSmart and scaled-up preventive measures, such as fuel reduction, are likely insufficient to address the magnitude of the challenge before us collectively.

The second point I want to talk about is awareness. Again, this is a role the federal government can play: understanding vulnerability and wildfire exposure and landscape-scale solutions. You heard from Dr. Christian Messier about the “Diverse” project. Change is under way in forestry and forestry practices and in the role that forests can play in mitigating climate change and increasing resilience to it.

The concept and approach I'll refer to as “climate-smart forestry” can play a role in both mitigation and adaptation, and it can help the resilience of our forests. Climate-smart forestry adopts a holistic lens, focusing on three key pillars: mitigation potential, unlocking the ability of forests and forest products to reduce emissions through increased carbon uptake and storage; resilience, enhancing forest health and reducing susceptibility to disturbances like fire and pests through adaptive management—think fuel treatment, such as thinning and burning, and adapted silviculture; and product substitution, using forest-based products, such as forest residues, as bioenergy, which helps to displace more carbon-intensive energy sources and materials.

Lastly, there is an urgent need for policy to support and enable these proactive measures. We urge the federal government to elevate fire prevention and forest resilience as a national policy priority and to provide the necessary regulatory flexibility and support to implement these initiatives on a larger scale.

Undertaking this type of strategy or action plan will also identify the lack of a fire lens on existing federal government priorities and policies. This could take the form of a wildfire crisis strategy or could become a dedicated pillar of the national adaptation strategy.

We also recognize and support the critical role of indigenous peoples in returning good fire to the landscape in the form of cultural burning practices and management leadership.

In closing, while the road ahead is challenging, I think we've heard both from Dr. Flannigan and Dr. Messier that for the next 30 to 50 years, we're into very extreme conditions. However, Canada's forest sector can be a key partner in this whole-of-society approach, and FPAC remains committed to working with all partners to develop solutions that enhance the health and the resilience of Canada's forests.

Thank you for your attention today, and I look forward to answering any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.