Ontario’s lumber sector has historically been a small overseas exporter, but there are plans to boost international sales beyond the US.

The province, the second biggest in land area after Quebec and counting Toronto and Ottawa among its cities, lies close to the large population base of the northern US which has traditionally given it a ready and available large market for its products.

But market dynamics are shifting and US trade is not what it was, due to a heady mix of Canadian currency strength, the housing slump, increased raw material costs, ageing mills and stiffer competition from international producers.

Ontario’s softwood exports to the UK in the first half of 2008 were just 618m³ but that was up from 262m3 in 2007, making it the only province to increase shipments during the period. The total value of Ontario’s softwood lumber exports averages US$1bn annually.

The creation of the Ontario Wood Product Exporters Association (OWPEA) earlier this year was designed to encourage members to diversify international sales. It also presents a unified voice and brand image for the province’s wood products industry on the world stage. Its first step has been building a database of export-ready and active companies.

OWPEA chairman Geoff Schimmel said the organisation was very interested in the UK market for its value-added products and will have a presence at Interbuild in the Canadian Pavilion, with several wood product member companies attending.

“The UK is on our radar,” he said. Products being promoted include eastern white cedar, hardwoods, specialist SPF and pre-engineered housing.

He said economists were not predicting a return to normal demand in the key US market until 2010.

“We have products demanded by the world market that are high quality and value-added. We’re now seeking to match world demand with the industry’s production.”

He said the US north-east had a large population and the cities were on the Canadian industry’s doorstep. “It’s an easy market and has not required us to look too far beyond our borders. But there are shifting dynamics, whether it is temporary or longer, I do not know which.”

Species to look out for include the eastern white cedar, a smaller tree than its more famous west coast cousin, the western red cedar, with a tree diameter of typically 30-50cm but with the same durability characteristics.

For a full list of OWPEA member companies and products go to www.ontariowood.com.