Paul Lefebvre, Parliamentary Secretary to the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, and Marie-Louise Tardif, Parliamentary Assistant to the Quebec Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MWFP), Pierre Dufour announced a combined $6.4-million investment to support CelluForce Inc.’s innovative cellulose nanocrystal facility becoming the world’s first full commercial demonstration-scale plant of its kind.

The funding, which is provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program and Government of Quebec by means of the MWFP’s Innovation Bois [wood innovation] program and the Ministère de l’Économie et Innovation’s Fonds du développement économique [economic development fund], will support the production of 300 metric tons of nanocrystals annually at the new, state-of-the-art facility.

This remarkable new material, which can be used in everything from papers to paints, electronics to adhesives and cement to cosmetics, is produced from the cellulose in trees and made from wood that is abundant, renewable and biodegradable.

This investment will allow CelluForce to increase production efficiency by 50% and help create more than 100 jobs in the next commercial plant.

CelluForce received the funding as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to advancing innovative technology in Canada’s forest industry.

On June 1, 2017, the IFIT program received $55 million over three years as part of the Government’s $867-million Softwood Lumber Action Plan to support workers and forest-dependent communities that have been affected by U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber. This new funding enabled innovative transformative technology adoption for the sector.

The Government of Quebec is contributing $14.2 million to CelluForce, including $2.5 million from its wood innovation program. This program is one of the key measures of the 2018–2023 strategy to develop Quebec’s forest products industry. With a budget of $70 million, this strategy addresses the various challenges facing the forest products industry. In addition, Quebec is providing $11.7 million from its economic development fund, specifically $4.9 million in the form of equity investments and $6.8 million in the form of loans.

Quotes:

• "Our government is proud to support remarkable forest innovation that generates the economic prosperity we seek by working in harmony with the environment we cherish. This project is a terrific example of the brighter, bio-based future ahead of us. Congratulations to CelluForce for leading the way in forest sustainability and providing eco-friendly development solutions in Canada." Paul Lefebvre, Parliamentary Secretary, Natural Resources Canada
• "The government is committed to supporting investment in new technologies in order to increase the performance and competitiveness of Quebec companies. It is essential for the development of our economy that our innovative products can be found all over the world. And the CelluForce project is an excellent example of this." Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of the Economy and of Innovation
• "The competitiveness of Quebec companies and the achievement of their objectives are reflected in the Stratégie de développement de l'industrie québécoise des produits forestiers 2018-2023. That is why the Government of Quebec is proud to participate in this innovative project, which will contribute to the success of a local company and ensure job creation in the Eastern Townships." Pierre Dufour, Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks
• "With this project to modify its cellulose nanocrystal production process, CelluForce is demonstrating that it is a proactive leader in the field of green chemistry. A leader not only in Quebec and Canada, but also internationally." Marie-Louise Tardif, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks
• "CelluForce has been working hand in hand with industrial partners, helping them develop high-performance and sustainable products using cellulose nanocrystals. This investment will allow us to maintain our leadership in the field and expand the development of improved products with our customers. It will further enable our continued growth." Sébastien Corbeil, President & CEO – CelluForce