This release was issued under a previous government.
L-R: Kevin Jewett, Kevin Albrecht, Minister Carlier, Minister Larivee and Ken Vanderwell.
Alberta has renewed its Marten Hills Forest Management Agreement with Tolko Industries Ltd., Vanderwell Contractors Ltd. and West Fraser Mills Ltd. Companies will have long-term security to grow and harvest timber over the next 20 years. The agreement details their commitment to sustainable forest management, including forest regeneration and forest operations.
“Ensuring forestry companies are able to provide high-paying and stable jobs for Albertans is a priority for our government. I’m proud that we are able to come to an early agreement with the companies. This will support long term, secure and stable access to fibre, allowing them to contribute to the local economy and communities in northern Alberta.”
The Marten Hills agreement is a key factor in the forest industries’ contribution to the local economy and communities near Slave Lake. Forestry accounts for 13.5 per cent of employment income in the Slave Lake area, with 470 direct jobs and 690 indirect jobs.
“Our forestry industry is a huge part of our local economy, providing hundreds of good jobs in Slave Lake and across the region. I'm proud our government is continuing our relationship with Tolko, Vanderwell, and West Fraser through this agreement, because it's a win for the hardworking families of Lesser Slave Lake.”
“Renewal of the Marten Hills FMA enables Tolko to continue to invest in Alberta’s sustainability, provide great well paying jobs and pay taxes to support services we depend on.”
“Timber supply is the life of our operations and has enabled us to provide jobs to our employee family for the past 75 years, and with this renewal, for the next 20. After 4 years of hard work by our respective woodlands departments and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, we are very pleased to see the renewal of the Marten Hills FMA.”
“We are pleased to renew the Martin Hills Forest Management Agreement, a foundation for delivering sustainable resource development and economic prosperity for Albertans. Reliable, long-term access to a working forest provides the future resource stability we need to invest capital, provide high-quality jobs, renew healthy forest and positively contribute to community economies."
Forest management agreements balance economic, social and environmental aspects of developing Alberta’s forest resources to ensure their sustainable development. Commitments to reforestation, along with issues of biodiversity, watershed health, forest pest management and community consultation and support, are essential parts of each agreement.
Quick facts
- There are 20 forest management agreements across the province.
- Alberta’s forest industry directly employs more than 16,000 people in more than 70 communities and an additional 23,000 people indirectly throughout the province.
- 2016 sales of Alberta’s forest products totalled $6.2 billion.