Millar Western’s Joe Costantino named to government/industry committee studying forest sector challenges
http://www.srd.gov.ab.ca/forests/forestindustry.aspx Alberta Sustainable Resources Development Minister Ted Morton has established a committee to examine market and competitiveness challenges affecting forestry in Alberta and recommend measures to improve the industry’s outlook. The recent slowdown in U.S. housing starts, rising value of the Canadian dollar, competition from lower-cost offshore producers and escalating energy and labour costs are among the factors causing economic hardship for Alberta’s forest industry.
Named to the committee were three government MLAs and three senior forest company representatives, including Joe Costantino, Millar Western’s Senior Vice-President, Wood Products.
In announcing the committee’s formation, Minister Morton said, “It’s crucial that we maintain healthy forests in Alberta – and that includes healthy forest communities and a healthy forest industry. “I’m serious about moving forward to provide the framework needed to ensure Alberta’s forest industry is competitive, locally and globally.”
The other committee members are:
– Frank Oberle, MLA – Peace River
– Doug Griffiths, MLA – Battle River-Wainwright
– Dr. Neil Brown, MLA – Calgary-Nose Hill
– Wayne Clogg, Vice-President of Woodlands for West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd
– Ken Higginbotham, Vice-President of Forestry and Environment at Canfor
Despite its current difficult economic conditions, Alberta’s forest industry is well-positioned to recover and thrive in global markets, Minister Morton said. “The world economy needs lumber products,” he said. “We have what it takes to grow those lumber products. We have the land, we have the water, we have the energy and we have a stable political and regulatory regime. “We also have the environmental record that says we can go to the markets and say that if you buy our lumber, you’re buying from environmentally responsible producers.”