REGINA ‑ Saskatchewan's forestry sector reached an all-time high of $1.8 billion in forestry product sales in 2021, an increase of 60 per cent from 2020.
Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre says the industry is on track to achieve a goals of doubling forestry sector growth by 2030 and substantially increasing the value of exports.
"Forestry is currently the largest sector in our province's north, supports nearly 8,000 jobs and relies heavily on Indigenous workers and businesses," she says.
In September 2021, the Government of Saskatchewan announced timber allocations to support four major forestry projects, totalling nearly $1 billion in capital investments and is expected to create more than 2,600 forestry jobs. These projects include construction of an oriented strand board (OSB) mill in Prince Albert, expansion of the Carrot River sawmill, upgrades to facilitate increased lumber production at the Big River sawmill and the reopening of the Prince Albert pulp mill.
Saskatchewan has seven large primary forest product facilities producing lumber, OSB and pulp. Additionally, approximately 210 businesses produce a variety of primary and secondary forest products, and more than 230 supply chain businesses provide goods and services that support primary forest product manufacturers.
Saskatchewan is also home to the largest First Nations owned forest product mill in Canada (NorSask Forest Products in Meadow Lake). Indigenous people comprise more than 27 per cent of Saskatchewan's total forestry sector workforce and 30 per cent of the provincial timber supply is allocated to Indigenous businesses.
Sales in 2021 were led by increasing market prices for lumber and OSB, with continued growth of Asian economies and an increase in housing starts in the United States. More than 75 per cent of Saskatchewan's primary forest products are exported to other countries, including 67 per cent of lumber and OSB to the United States and 100 per cent of pulp to Asia.
