Page 69 - InvestinAlberta-EDA-2024-2

FORESTRY
When people think of Alberta, they may think of the Canadian Rockies, or the hectares upon hectares of farmland that produce grain, legumes and act as grazing grounds for
cattle and other livestock. They think about our major cities.
But the fact is about 60 per cent of the province’s land area is forested, with the majority of forestry operations occurring in the northwestern part of the province, including Athabasca, Grande Prairie and Peace River. And, as we become more conscious of climate change and identify the need to have a better relationship with our environment, we see tree cover as a natural resource that needs responsible stewardship.
And Alberta’s forestry industry is thriving. The Alberta Forest Products Association states that the forestry industry generates about $8 billion in GDP a year, and employs approximately 40,000 people. From 2015 to 2020, Alberta’s forestry sector saw investments of over $3.8 billion, which included capital investments in construction, machinery and equipment as well as repairs and maintenance.
There’s an understanding that, for this industry to grow, we need to manage the resource with both commerce and the environment in mind. After all, being green is good business.
EMBRACE. ELEVATE. ENVISION. 2 0 2 4 INVEST IN ALBERTA 69