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Annual Reports

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Kalin

Message from Board Chair 

As I reflect on the past year, I must begin by thanking our outgoing President and CEO, François Dufresne, for over a decade of dedicated service to FSC Canada. Under François' leadership, we achieved tremendous progress, including the development and implementation of the National Forest Stewardship Standard - a critical milestone in advancing responsible forest management across our country. We are deeply grateful for the strong foundation he has built for our organization's future.


We now welcome a new era of leadership with the appointment of Monika Patel as our incoming President and CEO. Monika's deep understanding of FSC, both locally and globally, her proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, and her unwavering passion for our mission, position us exceptionally well for the years ahead.

Our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan continues to shape and inform our priorities for the next two years, including demonstrating the effectiveness and value of the FSC brand, expanding markets and consumer awareness, increasing the FSC-certified forest area, supporting Indigenous Peoples' rights, and co-creating climate change, community, and ecosystem-based solutions.

Monika's transition into the role of President and CEO, with François remaining as a special advisor, has been seamless. Her wealth of experience, combined with the strategic focus outlined in our plan, positions us for continued growth and impact. I'm excited to continue working alongside Monika, the Board, and the entire FSC Canada team as we build upon our successes in assuring resilient forests for future generations.

- Kalin Uhrich
Chief Forester at Canfor
Board Chair, FSC Canada
Member of the Economic Chamber

By The Numbers | Our Impact

Chain of Custody

Chain of Custody Certificates

520 Chain of Custody Certificates - up from 510 in 2023

trees

Hectares of Canadian Forest Certified

There are 47,111,814 ha of FSC certified forests in Canada, slightly down from 2023

mp

Message from the President

During my early days as President and CEO of FSC Canada, I was inspired and motivated by the profound responsibility and immense opportunities that lie ahead. The heartbeat of FSC's success—and the blueprint for our path forward—lies in our unique ability to unite diverse stakeholders in creating balanced solutions that serve environmental, social, Indigenous, and economic needs.

Our National Forest Stewardship Standard stands as a testament to our collaborative approach, forging consensus amongst diverse stakeholders to create the gold standard in sustainable forest management.
Today, we are at a critical juncture where climate change and biodiversity loss demand immediate and purposeful intervention.

To drive transformative change, I remain committed to three top priorities: 

  1. Championing climate action by expanding our forest management certifications, with a strategic focus on western Canada; 
  2. Forging new brand and retail partnerships to enable consumers to create meaningful environmental impact; and 
  3. Continuing to support Indigenous Peoples and integrate their knowledge into sustainable forestry, advancing reconciliation through concrete action.

Together, we will elevate FSC beyond its position as the trusted leader in responsible forest management to become a driving force for responsible forest management and climate action in Canada. Our work today will ensure that future generations inherit a world where forests thrive as vital pillars of a sustainable economy.


- Monika Patel
President and CEO of FSC Canada
 

FSC_StrategyPlan_English.pdf
PDF, Size: 54.27MB

Strategic Objective Recap

The FSC Canada Strategic Plan was created to set our priorities from 2023 to 2027 and continues to guide the objectives for the next two (2) years.  

At the core of this plan are the following key strategic priorities:

  • Demonstrate the effectiveness and value of the FSC brand
  • Expand markets and consumer awareness for FSC-certified products
  • Increase the FSC-certified forest area across Canada
  • Support the rights and participation of Indigenous Peoples
  • Co-create climate change, community, and ecosystem-based solutions

Specific initiatives include:

  • Implement a monitoring and evaluation framework
  • Grow partnerships and promotional activities
  • Provide tools and training to expand the FSC certificate holder base
  • Develop an action plan to support Indigenous communities
  • Co-create a North American strategy for climate change and ecosystem services
  • Strengthen membership engagement, international collaboration, organizational capacity, and communication/reporting

Hectares of Certified Forest by Province

HA of Certified Forest by Province

 

GreenFirst Forest Tour

Romeo Malette Forest Tour

October 2024

Architects, engineers, and sustainability experts recently gathered in the Romeo Malette Forest near Timmins, Ontario in October for an immersive tour hosted by FSC Canada and GreenFirst Forest Products. The goal was to connect these professionals, who work with forest products every day, to the very forests that supply those materials - and to learn from the experts who manage these vital ecosystems.

The diverse group of attendees included representatives from leading architecture and engineering firms Moriyama Teshima, McCallum Sather and Moses Structures, professionals from the University of Toronto, Toronto Society of Architecture, WoodWorks and even TV host Michael Holmes Jr. Retailer Holt Renfrew also sent leaders from its sustainability department to understand the forest products supply chains.

FSC Forest Week 2024 Recap

Global Highlights from FSC Week

• More than 1400 Brands, NGOs, and organizations engaged

• Representing 60 countries including Canada (+50% in country participation vs 2023) 

• More than 158 million potential users reached 

Social Media FSC

Social Media Highlights

Building Brand Awareness in the Social Sphere

FSC Canada can be found on a wide variety of social media platforms including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. In 2024, we actively chose to stop updating Twitter. 

We regularly share stories from the forest, speak to the impact we have locally and internationally, showcase our incredible partners, and collaborate with a select group of online influencers to amplify these messages. 

In 2024, we successfully grew and fostered engagement with our audience across all platforms. Followers grew by 30% total and impressions more than doubled to over 3.4M across all platforms. 

Financials

Financials

 

With thanks to our FSC Canada Board

Cliff Wallis

Cliff Wallis

Alberta Wilderness Association
Board Chair, Environmental Chamber

Lorraine

Lorraine Rekmans

Individual Member
Indigenous Chamber 

Etienne

Etienne Vezina

Resolute Forest Products
Economic Chamber

Louis

Louis Begin

Fédération de l’industrie
manufacturière (FIM-CSN)
Social Chamber

Stephanie

Stephanie Seymour

Individual Member
Indigenous Chamber

Louis

Louis Belanger

Nature Quebec
Environmental Chamber

Kalin

Kalin Uhrich

Canfor
Economic Chamber

Cam

Cam Shiell

Private and Public Workers of Canada
Social Chamber

With thanks to our FSC Canada Staff

Francois Dufresne

Francois Dufresne

President and CEO (2024)

Monika PAtel

Monika Patel

Deputy President (2024)

Sean

Sean Dolter

Director of Standards

staff

Vivian Peachey

Director of Climate and Landscape Solutions

Bryce Denton

Bryce Denton

Director of Finance and Operations

Orrin Quinn

Orrin Quinn

Manager, Western Canada

Amy Willox

Amy Willox

Manager Climate and Ecosystems Services

Jeff Welch

Jeff Welch

Market Development Manager

Lauren Chisholm

Lauren Chisolm

Standard Development Manager

Previous Annual Reports

FSC Annual Report 2023.pdf
PDF, Size: 2.94MB
2022 Annual Report
PDF, Size: 5.53MB
FSC Annual Report 2021
PDF, Size: 21.30MB