B.C.’s forestry industry has long been a vital pillar for both the provincial and national economy, contributing $17.4B in 2024 ($5.5B from forestry, logging, and support; $8.3B from wood products manufacturing; and $3.6B from pulp and paper manufacturing).

However, heavy dependence on the United States as its main export market, along with an economy centered around real estate, has made it vulnerable to factors outside its control. Recent U.S. tariff hikes and rippling effects of Canada’s 2023 foreign buyer ban, coupled with environmental challenges like wildfires and pests, has created the need for product development and market diversification.

The federal government’s recent $1.2B investment aims to fuel this shift, offering loan guarantees, workforce retraining, along with funding for innovation, diversification, and market expansion. However, financial support alone won’t secure the sector’s future.

We’ve built a model that complements and strengthens the broader forest sector rather than competing with it. Instead of relying on traditional timber harvests, we recover an overlooked urban resource: used chopsticks.

These discarded items might seem insignificant, but when collected at scale, they become a steady, renewable resource for our high-performance engineered materials. Our distributed Microfactory network has transformed over 200 million chopsticks into durable wood alternative furniture and features for commercial clients around the world through our global Microfactory network.

By integrating new materials, expanding into new markets, and adopting sustainable manufacturing, B.C. can position itself as a global leader in the forestry industry alongside established powers like China and Russia. These countries have leveraged their vast forest resources to build dominant positions in global wood production and processing, as well as industrial output and dominating through large-scale production, establishing strong export networks.

Canada, despite having similarly abundant resources, has not yet fully realized its potential on the global stage and has a strategic opportunity to focus on innovation, sustainability and value-added manufacturing. This can carve out a leadership position that prioritizes long-term resilience over raw volume. By taking this approach, Canada can also better withstand economic volatility and environmental disruptions.

Recognizing the value of urban resources unlocks new pathways for a more sustainable and resilient future in forestry. Materials once destined for the landfill can now fuel a modern, circular manufacturing ecosystem. By embracing this shift, B.C. has the opportunity to lead through smarter, future-ready systems — ones that reflect the global demand for carbon-conscious materials, circular design, and meaningful value creation across the entire forestry sector.