WPAC Report Gaining momentum By Gordon Murray The wood pellet industry is poised to help governments meet climate change goals W e are officially into fall and the cooler weather is a welcome re-lief to all of our friends in fire-im-pacted areas. September also saw another information-packed Wood Pellet Associa-tion of Canada (WPAC) annual conference and AGM. You can enjoy a summary of the conference and links to the excellent pan-els and presentations at canadianbiomass-magazine.ca. We can’t thank our attendees and sponsors enough as we held the event virtually for another year as the COVID-19 impacts continue to prevent us from gath-ering in-person. We are looking forward to seeing you in Vancouver next year – mark your calendars for Sept. 18-21, 2022! The snap federal election that was called in August concluded on September 20 with another minority government for the Liberals and the Conservatives in offi-cial opposition once again. Cabinet is ex-pected to be appointed by early-mid-Oc-tober and Parliament to return by early November. WPAC expects many familiar faces to be in cabinet and will continue to work with old and new ministers and MPs on its members’ behalf. Prime Minister Trudeau’s priority will be to return to governing and address the impact of the pandemic’s fourth wave on the country and ensure a strong econom-ic recovery. Climate and environment will also continue to be key areas of focus. The Liberals’ climate plan, announced during the campaign, stresses that a healthy envi-ronment will also be positive for the econ-omy and jobs. We couldn’t agree more. WPAC applauds the government for their ongoing commitment to a low-car-bon economy and urges them to lever-age existing policies, technologies, and products, including Canadian sustain-ably sourced and produced wood pellets, while also looking to invest for the future. We are pleased to see a commitment to end thermal coal exports by 2030. We have a made-in-Canada solution with wood pellets that can be used in interna-tional markets and domestically to help our export figures and reduce greenhouse gas emissions at home and abroad. However, based on the latest science and Canadians’ real-life experiences, time is of the essence. This past summer, un-precedented climate events, including massive wildfires, record-breaking heat waves, and devastating droughts and ABOVE: Many European electric power plants are fueled with Canadian wood pellets, contributing to the EU’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. Photo credit: WPAC. FALL 2021 8 Canadian BIOMASS
Canadian Biomass Fall 2021: Page 8
