Stéphane Lefebvre

Native of Témiscaming, Québec, Stéphane Lefebvre has dedicated his professional life to the forestry sector and to defending the rights of its workers. After completing high school in Témiscaming, he pursued vocational training in pulp and paper and began his career at the Tembec mill—now RYAM—in September 1990.

A committed union activist, Stéphane took on his first union role in 1998 as a workplace representative. He joined the executive of Local 233 in 2011 and was elected president in 2018—a position he continues to hold with determination. In 2019, he joined the executive of Unifor’s Forestry Council and was elected its president in August 2023.

Since 2024, Stéphane has been at the forefront of efforts to safeguard the future of the RYAM mill in Témiscaming, which has faced partial shutdowns and job losses. He has led public mobilizations, called for government intervention, and advocated for a long-term solution to preserve quality jobs in the region.

Widely recognized for his dedication, vision, and leadership, Stéphane is a strong voice for the forestry sector as a renewable resource that must be managed responsibly. He also emphasizes the essential role forestry plays in Québec and Canada’s economy and the need to treat it as a vital public service.