Investments in Forest Industry Transformation Program (Voted)

Name of transfer payment program

Investments in Forest Industry Transformation Program (Voted)

Start date

June 17, 2010

End date

March 31, 2018

Type of transfer payment

Contribution

Type of appropriation

Estimates

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2014-15

Link to department's Program Inventory

1.2 – Innovation for New Products and Processes > 1.2.2 – Forest Sector Innovation

Description

The objective of the IFIT program is to support transformations that will make the forest industry more economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The objective will be achieved by investing in innovative technologies that lead to a more diverse, higher-value product mix including bioenergy and renewable power, as well as biomaterials, biochemical and next generation building products.

The Program will fund innovative projects that are using transformative technologies at the pilot and commercial scales that direct wood fibre and by-products from wood processing into higher value usages which: 1) increase the total revenues available from a log; 2) diversify product lines for the forest industry, stabilizing economic performance; and 3) produce renewable energy and other products that are beneficial to the environment. By providing funding to Canadian forest firms for capital investments in bioenergy and bio-product industrial processes to advance these technologies towards full, commercial-scale implementation, this Program will broaden and build upon previous investments in forest sector transformation.

This transfer payment program does not have any repayable contributions.

Expected results

Expected outcomes of the program include the following:

• Canada’s forest sector is more commercially and environmentally sustainable with improved return on capital and environmental impacts;
• New forest bio-products, including next generation building products, and processes are commercially available through an increased number of new bio-products and next generation building products and processes produced;
• Canada’s forest sector has increased capacity to develop and supply commercial bio-products, including next generation building products, and processes through an increased number of new or modified facilities producing bio-products and next generation building products; and
• Forest sector companies collaborate on projects and processes related to bio-products with other sectors (e.g. energy and chemical) through an increased number of non-traditional partnerships.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

Evaluation of IFIT was completed as part of Forest Sector Innovation sub-program in 2013-14.

Decision following the results of last evaluation

Continuation

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2017-18

General targeted recipient groups

Industry related: Companies that produce forest products that have existing forest product manufacturing facilities (for example, pulp, paper or panel mills) located in Canada.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

Program applicants are supported through the establishment of a dedicated program website, which includes access to program guides, eligibility requirements, and project announcements, as well as program administration contact details (NRCan.ifit-ifit.RNCan@canada.ca). Calls for proposals were widely advertised through public press releases, e-mail distribution lists, and liaisons with a wide range of associations, government departments, and other stakeholders. Selected program recipients are further engaged through regular communication with program administrators to monitor progress on the achievement of program objectives.

Total grants

0

0

0

0

Total contributions

20,740,000

35,020,728

0

0

Total other types of transfer payments

0

0

0

0

Total program

20,740,000

35,020,728

0

0