Investing in Canada’s Forest Sector - Forest Innovation Program (FIP) and Expanding Market Opportunities Program (EMO)

Name of transfer payment program

Investing in Canada’s Forest Sector - Forest Innovation Program (FIP) and Expanding Market Opportunities Program (EMO) (Voted)

Start date

March 12, 2009

End date

March 31, 2017

Fiscal year for terms and conditions

2012-13

Strategic Outcome

1 – Canada’s Natural Resource Sectors are Globally Competitive

Link to department's Program Alignment Architecture

1.1 – Market Access and Diversification > 1.1.2 – Forest Products Market Access and Development, and 1.2 – Innovation for New Products and Processes > 1.2.2 – Forest Sector Innovation

Description

1. Forest Innovation Program (FIP) – aims at supporting the goal of sustainable natural resource development by enhancing the long-term economic opportunities for Canada's forest sector through increased investment in forest innovation.
2. Expanding Market Opportunities (EMO) – aims at maintaining and growing international wood product markets, expanding wood use in the North American non-residential and mid-rise construction market, and promoting the strong environmental credentials of Canadian forest products.

This transfer payment program does not have any repayable contributions.

Expected results

Expected outcomes for FIP:
FIP outcomes over which the program has some direct control are:

• The Canadian forest sector adopts innovative products, processes and technologies;
• Forest products, process, and technology innovations are developed for the forest sector;
• Federal and federally-funded research address innovation needs of the forest sector in a coordinated manner.
• The FIP will directly contribute the following results:
• Forest-sector innovation programs address key opportunities and threats facing Canada's forest sector
• The attributes of forest products are supported by science-based evidence
• Broad engagement of stakeholders in forest-based research

Expected outcomes for EMO:
In the long-term, EMO will contribute to:

• Diversified Canadian wood products markets /market segments (e.g. Recreational, commercial and institutional buildings as well as wood/hybrid mid-rise buildings);

In the mid-term, EMO will contribute to:

• Enhanced capacity for builders, architects and specifiers to use Canadian wood products
• Greater recognition of Canada abroad as a preferred supplier of wood products;
• Regulatory acceptance/recognition of Canadian wood products and building systems in building codes, standards and policies;
• Forest companies explore and pursue opportunities in target markets; and
• Canadian forest products are considered to be an environmentally responsible and preferred choice in target markets.

In the short term, EMO will directly achieve the following results:

• Regulatory agencies and buyers of Canadian forest products have the information they need to determine product performance and environmental credentials
• Industry has information to identify market changes and pursue market opportunities
• Industry supports EMO market development activities
• Cooperation/coordination is increased among key stakeholder groups
• Increased awareness of Canadian forest products and construction technologies
• Signatories of the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement (CBFA) have the science they need to advance the science program of the CBFA.

Fiscal year of last completed evaluation

2010-11 (International Influence Programs), 2014-15 (FIP as part of Forest Sector Innovation sub-program)

Decision following the results of last evaluation

Amendment
The evaluations were very supportive of the achievements and accomplishments to date of programs and also acknowledged the long-term nature of these types of initiatives.

Fiscal year of planned completion of next evaluation

2015-16 (EMO as part of Forest Products Market Access and Development Sub-Program), none planned for FIP at this time

General targeted recipient groups

FIP: The primary recipient of contributions is FPInnovations, a not-for-profit national forest research institute.
EMO: Eligible recipients include not-for-profit forest products associations, manufactured housing associations, provinces, provincial Crown corporations, and not-for-profit organizations engaged in forest product research.

Initiatives to engage applicants and recipients

In advance of the launch of EMO’s call for proposals on November 3, 2014, EMO management met with the heads of the associations to discuss changes to the on-line application form and related manual. In early November 2014, senior EMO program officers held one-on-one training with proponents in British Columbia and Quebec to go over the changes and provide direction about the type of information EMO requires throughout the application/reporting process. Webinars were also offered for proponents that could not attend sessions in person. The training and call for proposals were open to all proponents registered in the online system.

Under the FIP, as there is only one primary recipient, i.e. FPInnovations, officials meet with proponents on a regular basis, including the Assistant Deputy Minister of NRCan’s Canadian Forest Service, who is an observer on the FPInnovations Board of Directors.

Total grants

Total contributions

Total transfer payments