Media Backgrounder Ontario East Wood Centre & Eco-Industrial Park March 3, 2008 Contact:
Brian Barkley, General Manager Eastern Ontario Model Forest 613 258 8428 Sandra Lawn, Project Leader Eastern Ontario Model Forest Ontario East Wood Centre & Eco-Industrial Park 613 925 5568
Background In the late 1980s, Dr. Ross Silversides approached South Grenville’s Economic Development Commission with some new ideas on how sustainable development practices could be applied to the forests of Eastern Ontario. Dr. Silversides was a world-renowned forester. He knew this area well and had recently retired here. The Commission listened, particularly to his ideas concerning value-added wood processing. Processing wood locally helps a community retain jobs and wealth. Reports commissioned in the late 1980s and early 1990s emphasized the local benefits of enhancing Eastern Ontario’s value-added wood processing sector. The 1990s were years of growing concern, locally and globally, about the forestry industry, sustainable forestry, energy issues and climate change. During these years, the Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) developed the Forest Stewardship Council’s forest certification program. At the same time, new environmentally sound models of business parks began to develop. By 2004, some of the original supporters of enhancing Eastern Ontario’s value-added wood processing sector met with Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Township Council. The supporters were Brian Barkley, General Manager, EOMF, Ian Manson, of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, and Sandra Lawn, a consultant/project leader with the EOMF and former Prescott Mayor. The group covered some of the ground explored years before, but also addressed the new local and global concerns. It proposed developing a wood-based industrial park of companies whose direct and indirect outputs might serve as raw materials for neighbouring companies— an eco-industrial park.
…/2 Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal 18 Centre Street, P.O. Box 129 Spencerville, Ontario K0E 1X0 Tel: 613-658-3055 or 1-866-848-9099 Email: info@woodcentre.ca
www.WoodCentre.ca
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Benefits envisioned for the park include lower infrastructure and energy costs—and a more environmentally sound approach to industrial development. The Park would draw on the substantial amount of locally grown wood, plus that of the wide forests stretching from Algonquin Park east to Québec and from the Ottawa River south to the St. Lawrence. Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Township Council responded to the group’s presentation by setting up a Wood Centre Committee with Mr. Barkley, Mr. Manson and Ms. Lawn as Committee Advisors. Since then, the Committee has met several critical milestones. Three research projects have carefully explored the trends and opportunities for a valueadded wood industry in Eastern Ontario. These projects were funded by the Eastern Ontario Development Program of Industry Canada. The Eastern Ontario Model Forest assembled a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of scientific and technical experts. Some of the experts are academics. Others have wood industry experience. Still others are engaged in federally sponsored research. The national and international experience of TAG members has enabled them to offer insight on economics, science and technology, marketing, wood chemistry, climate change, government policy, research, business practice and eco-industrial development. Value-Added Wood Products Value-added wood products include those made from timber, such as furniture, cabinets, millwork and boards, as well as those not made from timber, such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, foods and crafts, and health and personal care products. They also include bioproducts, such as bio-fuels and bio-chemicals. Processing makes wood products about six times as valuable, on average. In 2004 valueadded wood products were worth about $1 billion. In 2002 value-added wood manufacturing employed close to 60,000 people in Ontario and Ontario ranked fifth in North America for value-added wood jobs. An Eco-Industrial Park The original concept for the Ontario East Wood Centre & Eco-Industrial Park matured as the Wood Centre Committee Advisors and TAG members asked questions and considered options. For example, they asked how the energy requirements of value-added wood processing could be met. They considered the range of products that can be made from trees. They recognized that outputs of some manufacturers can act as inputs for others.
…/3 Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal 18 Centre Street, P.O. Box 129 Spencerville, Ontario K0E 1X0 Tel: 613-658-3055 or 1-866-848-9099 Email: info@woodcentre.ca
www.WoodCentre.ca
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At the same time, they were aware of the area’s natural advantages: its nearby certified forests (FSC standard); its local, forest-based industries; the network of highways providing ready access to the Port of Prescott and, through it, to the Atlantic. They envisioned an eco-industrial park in which waste from wood processing will generate energy. Wood processing outputs and energy will feed a bio-refinery operation. This will provide materials for a chain of plants creating chemical, bio-plastic, building materials, auto parts and other products. Recycled materials from these operations will feed back into the wood processing and bio-refinery areas. It is a cycle offering rich research possibilities. Commerce will be a critical underpinning of the Eco-Industrial Park’s bio-economy. Management will encourage a complementary mix of companies. Companies will locate near one another in an atmosphere of mutual trust—a critical component considering their interdependence. It is expected that a company locating in the Eco-Industrial Park will have reduced operating costs through shared support system and service costs. A fast-track pilot plant may offer incremental development. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) construction standards will be encouraged for all Eco-Industrial Park buildings. The Eco-Industrial Park will have superb seaway, road and train market access, and a ready labour force in a part of Ontario known for its fine quality of life. In addition to water and wastewater infrastructure, Eco-Industrial Park occupants will be able to call on local machine and welding, and trucking and container facilities. Current Status The Ontario East Wood Centre & Eco-Industrial Park is now conceived as a world-scale, multi-corporate, value-added wood products processing, marketing and exporting complex. The land it will occupy is currently owned by the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and is zoned appropriately. The hub of the Eco-Industrial Park, a Wood Science Innovation Centre, will be a set of buildings that embrace four modules: • • • •
The Research, Development & Demonstration Facility: a showcase of product research in action. Orientation Centre: The gateway to the Centre, the Orientation Centre will support education, conference and training services as well as areas for display of products from Eastern Ontario Administration/Support Commons: This will offer a wide range of company incubation services. Pilot Plant Area: This is where prospects will find the facilities they need to set up a model manufacturing operation. They can use this to “test drive” their science, technologies and processes.
Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal 18 Centre Street, P.O. Box 129 Spencerville, Ontario K0E 1X0 Tel: 613-658-3055 or 1-866-848-9099 Email: info@woodcentre.ca
www.WoodCentre.ca
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It is expected that the Wood Centre will grow to include a wide range of enterprises producing products that, in some cases, directly or indirectly support the manufacturing of neighbouring enterprises. The Centre will run north from County Road 2 on about 50 acres of land within the 370-acre Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Industrial Park adjacent to the Port of Prescott. It is also adjacent to the 200 million litre, corn-based GreenField Ethanol plant currently under construction. Partners Active partners of the Ontario East Wood Centre & Eco-Industrial Park concept include: • • • • • • •
Eastern Ontario Model Forest Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Port of Prescott Canadian Forest Service University of Toronto, Faculty of Forestry Eastern Ontario Development Program
Wood Centre Committee Members The Steering Committee of the Ontario East Wood Centre includes: • • • • •
Brian Barkley (EOMF) Co-chair Dr. Peter Hall (EOMF and Canadian Forest Service) Co-chair Ian Manson (MNR) Sandra Lawn (EOMF) Wood Centre Committee of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal (Frank Noccey, Chair, Hugh Cameron, Lawrence Levere, Russell Trivett and Peter Martin)
Next Steps The engineering firm Totten Sims Hubicki & Associates (Kingston office) has completed preengineering and architectural concepts for the Wood Centre. Marketing materials have been created by TD Graham + Associates Marketing Communications. A knowledgeable and experienced Implementation Team (ITeam) of eight people has almost completed connecting with the many organizations that have shown an interest in the Centre—as well as businesses that are just learning about it. This effort will continue during the coming weeks. Denzil Doyle and Dennis Senik of Doyletech Corporation will be working with the Steering Committee until April 15, 2008 as the project moves strongly into the Implementation Phase, building on the strong interest and varied value propositions that have been brought brought forward. Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal 18 Centre Street, P.O. Box 129 Spencerville, Ontario K0E 1X0 Tel: 613-658-3055 or 1-866-848-9099 Email: info@woodcentre.ca
www.WoodCentre.ca