FII is a provincial crown corporation set up by the B.C. government in 2003 to support an environmentally sustainable and prosperous forest economy in British Columbia. FII’s mandate, confirmed by the government in 2009, is to:

• position British Columbia as a global supplier of world-class, environmentally friendly forest products;
• actively maintain, create and diversify demand for B.C. forest products in Canada and in key world markets;
• help break down non-tariff trade and market barriers to ensure opportunities for B.C. forest products;
• work with the forest industry to promote B.C.’s forest products and forest management to the global marketplace; and
• help ensure that the forest sector, through product development and strong international sales, continues to be a leading contributor to the B.C. economy.

Maintaining and growing foreign markets for the B.C. forest sector is important because more than 70 per cent of provincial forestry output is sold internationally, meaning most of the 65,000 people who work in the industry rely on foreign sales to keep their jobs.

In 2008 these exports of solid wood and pulp and paper generated $10.1 billion in revenues for the provincial economy and supported dozens of communities across B.C.

Supporting the B.C. forest economy is important because forestry sustains hundreds of communities across the province and about 240,000 direct and indirect jobs – a healthy forest economy means a strong and growing B.C.