Le Lézard
Classified in: Science and technology, Business
Subject: JVN

Implementation of a new synergy model for the wood and forest sectors


FPInnovations, Université Laval and the Laurentian Forestry Centre sign agreements for the maximization of the forest sector's innovation potential

QUEBEC, June 11, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - FPInnovations, the Laurentian Forestry Centre (LFC) of Natural Resources Canada, Université Laval and its Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics are pleased to announce the signature of collaboration agreements aimed at developing the full innovation potential of the wood and forest sectors. This new operational synergy is based, among other things, on the complementary efforts of research forces and the sharing of infrastructures and laboratories, in order to maximize the impacts of research investments to the benefit of the competitiveness of the forest sector. This sector is therefore becoming one of the first ones to align its innovation efforts to meet the challenges it is facing.

The announcement was made this morning in the presence of Stéphane Renou, President and Chief Execute Officer of FPInnovations; Sophie D'Amours, Rector of Université Laval; Denis Lebel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Conseil de l'industrie forestière du Québec; Line Drouin, Deputy Minister of the Quebec government's Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs; Beth MacNeil, Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resources Canada's Canadian Forest Service, Jacinthe Leclerc, General Director of the Laurentian Forestry Centre and numerous industrial partners. This announcement follows the relocation, last spring, of FPInnovations' activities and the pooling of targeted research efforts.

Agreement with the LFC
For the LFC, the new operational dynamic is mainly based on sharing expertise in forest genomics research?until now absent from FPInnovation's portfolio of expertise?and includes, among other things, the allocation of office and laboratory space. This co-location of research teams and infrastructure-sharing will make it possible to broaden FPInnovations' scope of expertise and maximize the impacts of research investments for the LFC.

Agreement with Université Laval
As for FPInnovations and Université Laval, they will pool their expertise notably in the areas of building, wood processing, forestry operations, Indigenous forestry, smart manufacturing, and climate change. This collaboration is being achieved through a master agreement totalling $2.5 million over a 10-year period, in addition to optimizing equipment assets which, by pooling the assets of each partner, allows researchers to benefit from a state-of-the-art research environment.

FPInnovations Fund
FPInnovations is also taking the opportunity today to announce the creation of the FPInnovations Training and Research Support Fund at Université Laval's Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics, worth half a million dollars. Annual instalments of $50,000 will be paid annually to this fund over a 10-year period. This amount will be used to financially support the Faculty's student projects and to encourage the development of innovative and promising research projects in the fields of wood and forest sciences or any other related field that can stimulate multidisciplinary projects.

Quotes:

"FPInnovations is proud to be associated with these high-level research partners who share its vision of innovation applied to the forest sector. These growth-generating agreements, which include optimizing equipment fleets and supporting the next generation through scholarships, pave the way for a very promising new collaborative model based on complementary knowledge that should lead to major achievements for the future of the forest industry."

Stéphane Renou, President and Chief Executive Officer, FPInnovations

"In addition to sharing with FPInnovations the largest wood engineering laboratory in eastern Canada as well as state-of-the-art equipment, our sustainable partnership will allow us to have a common, integrated vision of the research projects that will be developed in wood and forest sciences. It will also help advance science in such innovative areas as smart mills and forestry. With the new fund, the Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics will be able to support more student projects, such as participation in science education activities, research projects with FPInnovations and internships. The Faculty will also be able to recruit new world-class research leaders and attract top student talent from all over the world."

Sophie D'Amours, Rector, Université Laval

"We are pleased to see the creation of this collaborative model where innovation players come together and offer to pool their expertise for the benefit of companies. This announcement is in line with the CIFQ's vision and supports the common will of our organizations to cultivate scientific excellence, while positively contributing toward extending the sector's influence. These collaborative efforts in research and innovation are essential to ensure the development of the Quebec forest sector's full potential."

Denis Lebel, President and Chief Executive Officer, Conseil de l'industrie forestière du Québec

"At Natural Resources Canada, we realize the full potential of this collaboration between the Laurentian Forestry Centre, FPInnovations and Université Laval's Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics. This agreement will allow us to consolidate an already very strong and active forestry sector in the Quebec City region and will give us the opportunity to capitalize on the complementarity of our strengths and those of our partners, in order to maximize the advancement of our science and better serve the interests of the forestry industry in Canada."

Jacinthe Leclerc, General Director, Laurentian Forest Centre, Canadian Forest Service, Natural Resources Canada

"The Ministry encourages research centres to work together in order to optimize resources and funds invested in research and development in the forest sector. For many years now, FPInnovations has been a major partner of the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec, and we are proud to collaborate with them on innovative and promising projects for the forest products industry."

Line Drouin, Deputy Minister, Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs

Related links

About FPInnovations
FPInnovations is a not-for-profit world leader that specializes in the creation of scientific solutions in support of the Canadian forest sector's global competitiveness and responds to the priority needs of its industry members and government partners. It is ideally positioned to perform research, innovate, and deliver state-of-the-art solutions for every area of the sector's value chain, from forest operations to consumer and industrial products. FPInnovations' R&D laboratories are located in Québec City, Montréal and Vancouver, and it has technology transfer offices across Canada. For more information about FPInnovations, visit www.fpinnovations.ca

About Université Laval
Driven by a spirit of innovation and research excellence, Université Laval is one of Canada's leading research universities, ranking 6th with $377 million in research funding last year. It has 3,730 professors, lecturers and other members of the academic and research staff who share their knowledge with more than 43,000 students, 25% of whom are enrolled in graduate studies. The oldest Francophone university in North America, Université Laval has so far trained over 300,000 people who are contributing, each in their own way, to the expansion of societies. www.ulaval.ca/

About Faculty of Forestry, Geography and Geomatics (FFGG)
The FFGG is a leader in the fields of environmental conservation, responsible and innovative development of renewable resources, sustainable land use planning and territorial intelligence. It is recognized for the relevance of its curriculum, the high quality of its staff, the high-profile reputation of its professors and its ongoing research successes. Its training programs, many of which are unique in Quebec, are at the cutting edge of scientific knowledge, technology and professional practices. www.ffgg.ulaval.ca

About the Laurentian Forestry Centre
The Laurentian Forestry Centre (LFC) is one of five research centres within the Canadian Forest Service. The LFC contributes to harmonizing scientific excellence with relevant public policies; maintaining and increasing CFS partnerships with other federal departments, the provinces, FPInnovations, research organizations, universities, indigenous communities and forest communities; making the knowledge generated by LFC research accessible to businesses and forest users.

 

SOURCE FPInnovations


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