Trois-Rivières, Que., issued BDO Zone A rating for woody biomass

Innovation et Développement économique Trois-Rivières, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC), and Ecostrat announce issue of Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone rating for woody biomass.

The Trois-Rivières BDO Zone is rated ‘A’, or “high quality”, based on its resilient forestry and wood industry sectors with a long-standing track record of fibre supply. The Trois-Rivières BDO Zone extends 150-km driving distance from the city and is rated for 475,000 dry metric tons per year of woody biomass. Supply chains within the zone benefit from a multitude of suppliers and hold the potential to substantially increase currently available biomass, as current utilization stands at only 68 per cent.

The Trois-Rivières BDO Zone is the second BDO Zone rating in the province of Québec for forest residues, pulpwood and sawmill residuals. This accomplishment establishes the region as a frontrunner in the bio-based industry and highlights it as an ideal location for new bio-based development projects that rely on stable and long-term supplies of wood fibre.

“World-renowned for its forest-based industry, Trois-Rivières, and the Mauricie region, intend to take advantage of this BDO Zone certification to attract more companies to accelerate the shift to bio-based products,” stated Jean Lamarche, Mayor of Trois-Rivières. “Thanks to our vast sources of renewable biomass and the innovation promoted by our research centres, the Trois-Rivières region is a prime location for accelerating the decarbonization of our industries.”

Jordan Solomon, chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative, emphasized, “Trois-Rivières’ ‘A’ rating solidifies it as an ideal hub for transformative bio-based development projects within the province of Quebec – and bio-project developers worldwide should pay attention.

“The region’s resilient forestry and wood industry sectors, combined with a rated feedstock quantity of close to half a million tons of biomass, solid logistical infrastructure, easy port and rail access, low-cost renewable power, and significant government support for innovation and research, all underscore this latest BDO Zone’s potential for the location of pioneering bio-based solutions.”

Meaghan Seagrave, executive director of Bioindustrial Innovation Canada added: “The region of Trois-Rivières is a powerful blend of a highly skilled workforce, a variety of industrial assets, and numerous research and innovation centres. This microcosm encapsulates everything required to support the growth of sustainable technology solutions to positively impact global climate change.

“Given the increasing global demand for products that are both green and safer compared to conventional alternatives, there are significant opportunities to create thousands of new jobs and immense economic value for this region by combining its industrial, workforce, and natural resource assets. This ‘A’ rating confirms that Trois-Rivières is central to supporting the decarbonization of industries across Quebec, Canada, and around the globe”.