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During a press conference held Friday, April 25, Unifor joined a broad coalition of key stakeholders in Quebec’s forestry sector opposed to Bill 97, tabled by the Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry.. Although long awaited, this bill in its current form is doomed to failure. It neglects to address the environmental challenges facing the entire forestry industry, as well as the sector’s pressing economic and social needs.
An outdated industrial vision
“In the face of the economic crisis affecting the forestry sector and the need to protect ecosystems, workers want long-term solutions,” said Daniel Cloutier, Quebec Director of Unifor. “Despite the minister’s claims, this bill fails to protect jobs and will only add fuel to existing tensions with many partners in the forestry sector. The resulting conflicts will create even greater instability and a business climate that drives away the very investors we desperately need. To make our jobs sustainable, we need a reliable timber supply and a new industrial strategy for the sector. On both counts, this bill misses the mark.”
Unifor is calling for a forestry reform tied to a new industrial strategy that ensures a reliable supply of timber, revitalizes local processing, and strengthens protection of natural ecosystems. The future of our jobs, our communities, and our public forests depends on it.
A summit focused on concrete alternatives
To help put forward viable solutions, Unifor will host a Union Forestry Summit on May 20 in Saguenay. This event will bring together forestry workers and partners to develop a coherent vision for a sustainable and fair forestry sector in Quebec. We are calling on the minister to listen to these voices and to overhaul her bill in light of the concrete proposals emerging from this summit.
