For more than 20 years, FII has been working to diversify B.C.’s wood exports around the world. Together, with industry and other partners, we have made B.C. a world leader in wood product exports.
The program’s greatest successes have been in the large Asia-Pacific, a region that now accounts for close to 40 percent of B.C.’s forest product exports. We have created a commercially viable market for wood products in China and South Korea, while pushing B.C. wood products into new market categories in Japan. Together, these three countries now generate more than $3.5 billion in forest product sales every year for B.C., including value-added and newer product categories, like wood pellets.
Looking to the future, the program has introduced B.C. wood products to the Indian and Vietnamese markets—each offering long-term growth potential. Further solidifying these markets, while exploring new regions and new potential markets, remains a key priority for FII and the industry.
In all of these efforts, the marketing approach is to leverage B.C.’s strong brand and environmental pedigree. For example, as markets in Asia look to adopt modern building systems and low-carbon building products, FII and our partners in industry market B.C.’s leadership in mass timber and taller, wood buildings. We highlight B.C.’s proven record in sustainable forest practices. We showcase our wide range of wood species that our value-added sector leverages for market opportunity. We note the reliable trade linkages between our ports and those in Asia—B.C. is a safe and secure supplier of forest products in a time of rapidly shifting trade alliances.
As global demand for forest products continues to grow and evolve, maintaining our footprint in foreign markets is more important than ever. That is why we are constantly on the lookout for other opportunities, whether in the geographic markets of southeast Asia, or product categories, like mass timber, prefabrication or biomass.
B.C.’s commitment to maintaining abundant, natural forests, while supporting forest community and First Nations values, positions B.C. favourably in international markets. FII maintains a strong market outreach program to communicate B.C.’s leadership in sustainable forest management, as well as leading forest product supply options and wood building expertise. Through the naturally:wood digital and social media platform and other marketing tools, FII ensures that this impressive record is positioned as a strategic advantage with stakeholders in B.C. and around the world.
