NEW MANAGER IN PLACE FOR PRINCE ALBERT FOREST MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

The Prince Albert Forest Management Agreement (FMA) has a new manager in place.

Energy and Resources Minister Bill Boyd and Environment Minister Dustin Duncan today signed an agreement with Sâkaw Askiy Forest Management Inc. (Sâkaw) to allow the new company to assume responsibility for the 3.3 million hectare FMA, which had been managed by Domtar and held in the name of Weyerhaeuser.

Sâkaw, based in Prince Albert, consists of six forest companies and two First Nations groups representing the forest interests that are receiving almost two million cubic metres of wood volume from the FMA. That wood reallocation was announced by the government last November.

"Sâkaw's unique partnership structure melds the expertise of established players in the forest industry with the energy and investment interests of area First Nations," Boyd said. "With secure wood supplies, Sâkaw's member companies are well positioned to compete in new global markets with more value-added wood products, and First Nations will be more fully engaged in forest businesses and in the new opportunities that our evolving forest industry presents."

"Long-term agreements continue to be an important tool for forest management in Saskatchewan, to ensure sustainable harvest and full renewal while providing security of wood supply to the forest company," Duncan said. "The forest management agreement we're signing today confirms the commitment of both government and industry to maintaining both a healthy forest and a healthy forest industry."

The ministers noted that the agreements assigning the FMA to Sâkaw will confirm wood supplies for seven mills in five communities, allowing those mills to operate close to capacity.

"Our vision was to create an innovative, made-in-Saskatchewan business construct that would position the Saskatchewan forest industry for success by leveraging the strengths of its shareholders with a world-class forest resource and a results-based regulatory environment," Sâkaw President Dave Knight said. "Today is truly a testimony of what can happen when government, First Nations and industry work together."

The member shareholders of Sakaw include Agency Chiefs Tribal Council, Carrier Lumber, Edgewood Forest Products, L&M Wood Products, Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp, Montreal Lake Cree Nation, NorSask Forest Products and Tolko Industries.

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For more information, contact:

Bob Ellis
Energy and Resources
Regina
Phone: 306-787-1691
Email: robert.ellis@gov.sk.ca