Forestry sector large contributor to Northern economy.

• Position: Northern Ontario - Brief Article - Statistical Data Included

Forestry is one of North Bay's most important local industries and the entire Blue Sky Region benefits from it. Forestry is the primary productive engine of the Blue Sky economy, and since it is based on a renewable resource that is being managed to ensure sustainability, jobs and job growth are ensured for the future.

The Blue Sky Economic Partnership (BSEP) recently completed an economic impact study on the forestry sector. BSEP is a public/private-sector initiative based on a sectoral approach to economic development. Its partners include private-sector clusters, one of which is the forestry sector, chaired by leaders in their particular field. The partnership also includes Almaguin 2000 Development Agency, Economic Partners/Sudbury East-West Nipissing, Mattawa and Area Forestry Committee for Economic Development, Nipissing East Community Opportunities, North Bay Economic Development Commission, the Municipality of West Nipissing, and the Municipality of Temagami.

The local forestry industry directly employs almost 2,300 people. Through additional indirect and induced employment, another 2,200 jobs are supported by this industry, which means that the forest industry in the Blue Sky Region is responsible for approximately 4,500 direct, indirect and induced jobs. This represents one in 10 of all local jobs. When one also considers in excess of 200 enterprises supply products and services to the forest industry and employ roughly 5,000 people, it means that...