forestryfutures.ca

Forestry Futures Trust

The Trust was established under the authority of an amendment to the Crown Timber Act; that amendment was subsequently carried forward in Part V of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (1994).

The Trust Fund is managed by the Trustee, RBC Dexia Investor Services Trust and allocated to successful applicants under the direction of the Forestry Futures Trust Committee. The Chair is appointed by the Minister for a five year term. The Committee members are appointed by the Minister for up to a three year term. The source of funds for the Trust is based on harvest volume charges that are paid by Sustainable Forest Licensees.

Purpose of the Fund

The Forestry Futures Trust shall, according to Section 51 of the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, provide for the following matters on such terms and conditions as may be specified by the Minister:

1. The funding of silvicultural expenses in Crown forests where forest resources have been killed or damaged by fire or natural causes.

2. The funding of silvicultural expenses on land that is subject to a forest resource licence, if the Licensee becomes insolvent.

3. The funding of intensive stand management and pest control in respect of forest resources in Crown forests.

4. Such other purposes as may be specified by the Minister.

Source: Crown Forest Sustainability Act, Section 51 (3)

Other purposes specified by the Minister for which Trust funds are currently being used include:

Independent Forest Audit Program
Enhanced Forest Productivity Science Program
SFL Conversion to Cooperative Initiative
Far North Forestry Development Initiative
Enhanced Forest Resource Inventory

Eligible Applicants

For all programs, with the exception of the Far North Forestry Development Initiative and the Enhanced Forest Productivity Science Program, the Committee may only approve applications from eligible applicants namely:

"Sustainable Forest Licence Management Units - holders of a forest management unit account or sub-account in the Forest Renewal Trust, or in special circumstances as directed by the Minister."

The Committee cannot consider project applications submitted by a licensee, where the Minister advises the Chair that the licensee is delinquent in paying Crown charges related to the licensing or harvest of Crown timber.

For the Far North Forestry Development Initiative, there were 15 eligible First Nations or affiliated Tribal Council applicants in the defined Northern Boreal Initiative Area north of the Area of the Undertaking. Funding for this program has all been allocated and projects are in the final stages.

The Enhanced Forest Productivity Science (EFPS) program was open January 2005 to all forest researchers (government, industry, academic and private) via a request for proposal. EFPS applicants were required to provide matching funding from other sources. Research conducted under EFPS was intended to benefit forest sustainability on Crown lands in Ontario and all results will be in the public domain. Funding for this program has also been disbursed and most projects are also in their final stages.