National Hardwood Magazine - April 2024

QUEBEC Continued from page 12
It was also noted that prices had trended down in late
2023 but had stabilized lately due to limited production. A
similar situation is also reported for kiln-dried Cherry. Demand
is down except from China. With less production
and steady demand from China, prices are firmer.
With demand steady, even though it has not increased
much, for the regionally important Hard Maple, lack of
supply is keeping markets energized. Contacts note that
some color categories and grades are moving better
À travers la scierie. À travers le monde.
than others, especially the No. 1 and 2 White and Unselected
stocks with good color. Upper grades are also selling
better than the No. 1 Common, No. 2A, and No. 3A.
Distribution yards and secondary wood products manufacturers
are purchasing No. 1 Common and Better
Soft Maple. It was noted that production was not keeping
pace with demand for upper grades and is only marginally
meeting demand for No.1 Common grades. Upper
grade prices did show an upward trend.
Hickory demand has contracted, as flooring plants
are buying less of this species due to slower sales of
finished goods. Flooring manufacturers
advised that sales of finished
goods had not improved, but they
are purchasing to replenish depleted
stocks.
Sales of truck trailer flooring is
slowing, thus purchases of Oak are
reduced, while others have curtailed
them at this time. Residential flooring
plants say they would like to receive
more White Oak, but are controlling
receipts of Red Oak.
Sawmills say sales of White Oak
are limited more by supply than
demand, especially for the upper
grades.
Business to export markets for
Poplar has improved somewhat
since the beginning of the year, although
it is far from robust, with upper
grades selling better than the
common grades. On the domestic
side, demand is fair, with upper
grades faring better than the common
grades.
Walnut sales are reported as consistent
from concentration yards,
and prices for the No. 1 Common
and Better grades trended higher,
with No. 2A prices also on the rise.
There is solid interest from distributors
and end users in the U.S. and
China for this species, with interest
expressed from other markets for
kiln-dried Walnut.
According to a release in mid-February,
a consultation meeting was
scheduled between First Nations
and the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des
Forêts (MRNF--Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests)
as part of the Round Tables on the Future of the
Forest. This process was announced in November 2023
by Minister Maïté Blanchette Vézina.
This new initiative by the Quebec government must
contain concrete actions and measures that respect the
rights and interests of First Nations, comment First Nations.
They are inseparable from the future of forests and
the forestry activity that derive from it.
“It’s clear that the Quebec government is not doing
enough to respect the rights of First
Nations on the territory, especially
when it comes to logging. The consultations
carried out by the MRNF
are superficial. Decisions are made
unilaterally. Things have to change,”
says Lance Haymond, Chief of the
Kebaowek First Nation.
Thus, the Assembly of First Nations
Quebec-Labrador (AFNQL)
reiterates that First Nations hold
ancestral rights over their territories
and resources. These rights include
the right to use and occupy land, to
own land, to enjoy economic benefits,
and to use and manage their
land proactively.
“It’s time the government stopped
seeing the forest only as an economic
engine for the forest industry. This
extremely rich environment and the
wildlife that inhabits it are affected by
this development, as demonstrated
by the situation of the caribou. We
need to implement structuring projects
to ensure its future, in particular
by establishing more protected areas
on the territory,” declares Martin
Dufour, Chief of the Essipit Innu First
Nation.
Consequently, the AFNQL believes
that considerable efforts must
be made by the Minister, and the
government as a whole, to promote
conservation of the territory, free,
prior and informed consent, co-management
of the territory and royalty
sharing, as set out in the Lands and
Resources Declaration adopted in November 2021 by
all the Chiefs. First Nations have repeatedly voiced their
concerns and proposed various solutions to address
these issues. n
Keep Up With The
Latest Industry News
nationalhardwoodmag.com
PREMIUM NORTHERN
HARDWOOD LUMBER
Ryan Peterson – Sales Manager
(715) 533-6193
rpeterson@northernhardwoods.com
Matt Grube
(920) 740-9140
mgrube@northernhardwoods.com
Atlantic Mine, MI
Newberry, MI
www.northernhardwoods.com
78 APRIL 2024 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE www.RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry
www.RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry
APRIL 2024 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 79