Industry News News
Editorial: Looking for leaders

Thanks to our partnership with the Forest Products Association of Canada, who sponsored the awards last year – and I’m happy to announce are back again this year – Canadian Forest Industries Top 10 Under 40 will once again recognize the achievements of the newest generation of forest industry workers. This covers a broad range of skills and achievements from strong work ethics, leadership by example, and efforts to grow the quality of our industry – all of these will be acknowledged.

So, if you are a young up-and-comer, or know someone who is, get those nominations in!

Last year we had nominations from across the country and proudly showcased the following members of our sector’s young talented workforce:

• Cory Poggemoeller (Enderby, B.C.) – Richwood Fencing;
• Marc Legros (Tourville, Que.) – Prolam;
• Craig Reid (Deer Lake, Nfld.) – Northwest Forest Resources;
• Domenico Iannidinaro (Nanaimo, B.C.) – Timberwest;
• Kris Heideman (Eganville, Ont.) – Heideman Forest Services;
• Harpal Aulakh (Quensel, B.C.) –West Fraser
• Jason Rouillard (Thunder Bay, Ont.) – Rouillard Logging;  
• Jeannie, Benoit and Francis Carrier (La Toque, Que.) – Les Gestions N.A. Carrier;
• Mark Ross (Pictou County, N.S.) – Ross Logging; and
• Tony Madia (Vancouver, B.C.) – Conifex Timber.

 With skilled labour shortages affecting most of the industry, now or in the future, what better way to reach out to the country’s youth then by showcasing your biggest success stories?

Having the industry’s young stars acknowledged for their accomplishments is only half of what makes this contest important for industry. It also allows younger generations who are still deciding on a career path to see the kind of bright futures that await them within the forestry sector.
While attending the Council of Forest Industries’ annual conference in Prince George this past April, I listened to a couple of the speakers talk about the looming skilled labour shortage in all aspects of the industry.

Matthew May, vice-president of BST Transportation Group, discussed the upcoming shortage of truck drivers. He said Canada could experience a shortage of 25,000 to 33,000 for-hire truck drivers by 2020. That’s a big order to fill, so you know the forestry sector’s supply chains could definitely be negatively affected – and that’s just one segment of our sector.

So who can be nominated, you ask?

Anyone who is in the logging, sawmilling or associated industries who is under the age of 40 as of Dec. 31, 2015.

How do you nominate someone?

Easy, just go online to woodbusiness.ca, click on Top 10 Under 40, and fill out the nomination form, but don’t wait too long. Nominations close on June 30, 2015.

I look forward to reading all about your best and brightest.