Association bois d'apparence Gaspesie Receives Funding from Government of Canada

CARLETON-SUR-MER, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - April 5, 2013) - The Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, took the opportunity of today's official launch of the Association bois d'apparence Gaspésie―an association of appearance-grade lumber producers―, to highlight the funding awarded by the Government of Canada to assist the organization in implementing a commercialization strategy in Canada and abroad.

"The Government of Canada was pleased to lend its support to the Association bois d'apparence Gaspésie because it will help the industry develop new markets and diversify the Gaspésie economy," said Minister Lebel.

The Association bois d'apparence Gaspésie is composed of a group of 10 Gaspesian wood processors who have joined forces to consolidate their marketing efforts. The association, whose mission is to promote its members' products, intends to take part in a variety of commercialization activities, including networking events, trade fairs (such as the first edition of the Grande Exposition commerciale de la Gaspésie, a trade show extravaganza opening today), seminars and prospecting missions, and to create a Web site. Appearance-grade lumber refers to a wide range of hardwood and softwood finished products for indoor and outdoor use, including mouldings and trims, decorative elements, window and door components and furniture.

About the Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE)

Initially announced in October 2011 and highlighted today, this $40,350 in non-repayable funding was granted through Canada Economic Development's Temporary Initiative for the Strengthening of Quebec's Forest Economies (TISQFE).

This measure is one of several put in place by the Government of Canada to counteract the effects of the forest crisis. Others include the Community Adjustment Fund, with its $1-billion budget over two years to mitigate the impact of the crisis, the $1 billion granted to the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program to help enterprises carry out environmentally-friendly projects, and the $238 million invested, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec, for silvicultural work and the maintenance of multi-use forest roads. Workers have also received support from numerous measures introduced by the Government of Canada to help them through the global economic crisis.

Keep up with the latest news from Canada Economic Development by visiting www.dec-ced.gc.ca or subscribing to @CanEconDev on Twitter.