On May 9, Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) hosted its annual Awards of Excellence luncheon in Vancouver where it recognized individual and group contributions that are making a difference and taking the industry into the future.

FPAC hosts this annual event to recognize excellence in the sector and to honour the achievements of our workers and community partners. Winners are selected across several categories including Forest Community Champions, industry partners, Indigenous leadership, women in forestry, rising stars, innovation, and lifetime achievement.

“The people of Canada’s forest products sector are making contributions every day to help us realize important environmental and economic outcomes,” said FPAC President and CEO, Derek Nighbor. “It’s important that we recognize these efforts and say thank you to these special people in our businesses, and in our communities, who are doing such great work,” he added.

FPAC’s 2019 Awards winners include:

Forest Community Champion Awards
• Hon. Jim Carr – Member of Parliament Winnipeg South Centre, and Minister of International Trade Diversification
• Hon. Ed Fast – Member of Parliament, Abbotsford, and former Minister of International Trade
• Lyn Hall – Mayor, Prince George, BC
• Pascal Cloutier – Mayor, Dolbeau-Mistassini, QC

FPAC Partnership Awards
• Kristen Vice – National Council for Air and Stream Improvement (NCASI) – Montréal, QC
• Forestry Futures Alliance- Edmonton & Calgary, AB

Indigenous Business Leadership Award
• Selkin Logging Limited – Fraser Lake, BC

Skills Award for Indigenous Youth
• Zachary Julian – Mi’Kmaq First Nation, NS
• Lance Black – Anicinape of Abitibi, ON

FPAC Innovation Award
• Brian Merwin, and the Corporate Development Team, Celgar – Mercer International

FPAC Lifetime Achievement Awards
• Jim Witiw – Mercer International
• François Dumoulin – Resolute Forest Products

FPAC Outstanding Member Award
• Donna Kopecky – LP Building Solutions
• Sandy Ferguson – Conifex Timber Inc.

FPAC Women in Forestry Award of Excellence:
• Jennifer Tallman – EACOM Timber Corp.

FPAC Rising Star Award:
• Marie-Philippe Drouin – Resolute Forest Products