Ontario wood supply competitive process update

Sept. 22,
2010 – The Ontario Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, and Forestry has
begun communicating with proponents who, as a result of evaluation, will not be
able to proceed further in the Provincial Wood Supply Competitive Process
(WSCP). Those who will not be advancing any further in the process have
either not met the mandatory proposal content requirements or have not met
minimum thresholds with respect to certain criteria listed in the WSCP
document, including management experience, financing and investment, economic
and financial viability, operating feasibility, wood supply, and Aboriginal
benefits.

Unsuccessful
proponents will continue to be notified into the fall as evaluations progress.
The ministry will continue to communicate progress over the next few months
leading up to the selection of successful proponents. The choices are
difficult, but the result will be the selection of a mix of solid and
innovative initiatives intended to strengthen Ontario’s forest industry.

The WSCP
was launched in November 2009, with 115 submissions received by the March 2010
deadline. Proposals are assessed against criteria such as financing, economic
viability, wood supply, Aboriginal benefits, number of jobs, and innovation. Updates on the process are being posted at: www.mndmf.gov.on.ca/forestry/crownwood_e.asp.