/Forest%20Export%20Assistance%20Program_FEAP

Forestry Export Assistance Program (FEAP)

Ministry of Natural Resources

The main objective of the program is to assist in ways to increase the number of exporters of wood products in the province, which will lead to an increase in export sales.

FEAP is made up of four cornerstone programs designed for any wood product manufacturer, from those with no experience exporting products to those with considerable experience, but want to stay on top of the most recent opportunities in the global wood market.

EXPORT SKILL DEVELOPMENT The Wood Manufacturing Council (WMC) will be offering a series of workshops called Going Global which are designed to prepare companies for the growing international market for wood products from Ontario. The workshops are presented by seasoned trade experts. Each Going Global workshop is designed specifically for professionals, entrepreneurs, executives and managers in the wood industry.

7 hands-on workshop dates and locations are being offered: Introduction to International Trade........................Hanover, March 1 Thunder Bay, March 6 Kitchener, March 8 International Trade Research and Marketing....... Toronto, March 28 Supply Chain Management and Importing........... Toronto, March 28 Cultural Aspects of International Trade.................Toronto, March 29 International Trade Finance..................................Toronto, March 29 WMC contact information: Stephen Kennedy, Project Manager Telephone: 613-567-5511 Email: stephen@wmc-cfb.ca www.wmc-cfb.ca/goingglobal/on

EXPORT COUNSELLING FPInnovations has assigned a full-time export specialist in the province to assess companies preparedness to compete in export markets.

Service will provide case by case assistance to help companies launch their product on the international market.

FPInnovations contact information: Stoyan Belev, Export Specialist Telephone: 647-478-9733 Email: stoyan.belev@fpinnovations.ca

MARKET ENTRY SUPPORT The Ontario Wood Products Export Association (OWPEA) is a province-wide association that works to develop and promote distinctive brand awareness of Ontario’s wood products industry on the world stage. The OWPEA assists members in identifying trade opportunities and enhancing market awareness through seminars and other networking and educational programs.

OWPEA contact information: David G. Milton, RPF, Acting Executive Director Telephone: 416-562-1525 Email: david.milton@ontariowood.com www.ontariowood.com

CHAIN OF CUSTODY CERTIFICATION One of the objectives of the FEAP program is to identify trade barriers for Ontario wood products such as the requirement for Chain of Custody Certification (CoC).

CoC is an accounting mechanism used to track raw materials from certified forests and other sources through each manufacturing stage until the resulting product reaches the store shelf or the end user.

CoC certification for wood products is fast becoming a base requirement to validate claims that the raw materials used in these products comes from legal and responsible sources and allow the industry to sell their products in the EU, China, Japan. Korea, Australia and even the USA. The Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) have developed an education and awareness building program that explains what chain of custody certification is and what are its benefits, costs, etc.

The overall objective of the initiative is to set the stage in assisting companies become certified.

Although all workshops have been completed for the year, an on-line option offering the same information will be available in the near future.

For more information and to register for the on-line workshop visit: seminars.eomf.on.ca or call 613-258-8241 .