Visit Société d'aide au développement de la collectivité (SADC) Matawinie and Ecostrat are pleased to announce the publication of a note for a new BDO Zone (Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone) related to the assessment of the forest biomass supply chain.
The Matawinie BDO Zone extends over a 150 km driving distance from the municipality of Saint-Émélie-de-l'Énergie. Approximately 360,000 anhydrous metric tons (amt) of forest biomass are technically available for the bioenergy sector. The prestigious " A ", equivalent to "low risk, reports that the forest biomass supply chain is solid and well-established, due in part to the stability of the forestry industry in the area, which includes more than 20 sawmills.
The Matawinie BDO Zone is the very first to receive a rating under the BDO Zone Initiative in the province of Quebec. SADC de Matawinie's efforts to achieve this rating coincide with the province's efforts to become a global player in the transition to clean energy. With three well-located sites and excellent infrastructure, the Matawinie BDO Zone represents an ideal location for new biobased products plants that depend on reliable, long-term supplies of forest biomass.
"The forest industry is an important and vital economic sector in our regional county municipality (RCM). Our approach to the BDO Zone Initiative is perfectly in line with our new agreement with the provincial government, which aims to maximize the potential of our forest resources. In this respect, we are actively collaborating with private forest owners to increase the volume of wood production from private forests, while supporting secondary and tertiary processing of high value-added products. We are also committed to developing the bioenergy sector by setting up a network of forest biomass boilers and promoting research and development into bioplastics. By combining these two initiatives, we believe we will attract new partners to Matawinie for the innovation and development of our forestry sector".said Isabelle Perreault, Prefect of the Matawinie RCM.
Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiativeadded: "We have a high degree of confidence that the 'A' rating awarded to the Matawinie BDO Zone will attract the attention of bio-based projects from around the world. This will help Matawinie harness local quantities of forest biomass that are currently unused or under-utilized to create economic value for the community, the province and Canada. As the BDO Zone Initiative continues to roll out across Canada and all of North America, we are grateful for the support and funding from organizations such as the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP), which is helping to pave the way for communities like Matawinie to participate in the global bioeconomy."
To consult the complete evaluation of the BDO Matawinie Zone, please click here. here or visit www.bdozone.org.
About Matawinie
Located in the Lanaudière region of the province of Quebec, Matawinie covers a vast territory of 10,460 km², with a population of over 53,000 spread over 15 municipalities and an aboriginal reserve called Manawan. As the 9th largest territory of a regional county municipality (RCM) in Quebec, Matawinie represents three quarters of the Lanaudière region.
The Matawinie territory is home to a wide variety of industries and retail outlets, with over 3,500 businesses operating within its boundaries. The MRC de Matawinie's economy is based mainly on recreational tourism and tourist resorts, forestry in the northern regions and agriculture in the southern regions, including numerous poultry farms.
The Matawinie BDO Zone center is conveniently located, just a 90-minute drive from the cities of Trois-Rivières and Montreal. This strategic location provides easy access to sea, air and rail transportation, facilitating the movement of goods. What's more, the large cities located near the south of the Lanaudière region offer a large workforce, which is advantageous for businesses.
Matawinie's forestry industry is of great importance as the region's historic economic engine. A well-established supply chain exists, with numerous sawmills supplying various companies with wood processing residues, often thanks to fruitful collaborations with neighboring regions such as the Laurentians and Mauricie.
About Société d'aide au développement de la collectivité (SADC) Matawinie
SADC Matawinie is a non-profit organization dedicated to socio-economic development that has been working in partnership with the Canadian federal government for over 30 years. The organization offers a diverse range of flexible financial products designed to support start-ups, promote business growth and facilitate business succession. This support
has played a crucial role in promoting entrepreneurial initiatives and stimulating economic prosperity in the region.
In addition to its essential financial offerings, SADC Matawinie actively contributes to the territory's economic development by providing essential support and consulting services to businesses and individuals, guiding them through various ventures and projects. What's more, SADC Matawinie remains passionately committed to the realization and promotion of promising and innovative projects that offer immense potential for the betterment of the community. Thanks to their ongoing dedication, SADC Matawinie continues to be a driving force in shaping a dynamic and prosperous socio-economic landscape for the region it diligently serves.
For more information on Société d'aide au développement de la collectivité (SADC) Matawinievisit our website www.matawinie.qc.ca. The local development manager (RDL) for the Matawinie BDO Zone is Jonathan Landreville, General Manager, SADC Matawinie (jlandreville@matawinie.qc.ca).
About theBDO Zone initiative
The BDO Zone Initiative is an economic development platform that enables local communities to deploy powerful economic development tools - BDO Zone ratings - to stimulate, accelerate and catalyze green energy investment and the development of bio-based projects in BDO Zones.
A BDO Zone rating is a standards-based technical risk assessment of biomass supply chains and infrastructure. For a particular zone, the assessment identifies the technical potential for new biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, bioproducts or clean hydrogen plants.
BDO Zone ratings help regions and communities attract new biobased projects and participate in the global bioeconomy by demonstrating the maturity of local biomass supply chains and whether they are sufficiently developed to support the establishment of new biobased product plants without undue risk.
For more information on BDO Zone Initiativeplease contact info@bdozone.org. To view all current and upcoming BDO Zone ratings, visit www.bdozone.org or visit the LinkedIn of the BDO Zone Initiative for all news and updates.
About Ecostrat
Ecostrat is North America's leading provider of biomass due diligence for the development and financing of biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas and bioproducts projects. Ecostrat led the USDOE/BETO-funded project to develop the new investment standards and assessments for supply chain risk in biomass, which were then used in the development of the Canadian national standard CSA W209:21 for biomass supply chain risk.
The advisory group combines BSCR standards with powerful predictive analytics to understand and reduce supply chain risks. The Biomass Sourcing Group has 25 years' experience sourcing and supplying over 5 million tonnes of biomass for bioenergy, biofuels and biochemical projects in North America.
Jordan Solomon is Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative and President of Ecostrat. He has overseen the development and operation of biomass supply chains for over 5,000,000 tonnes of feedstock over two decades for bioenergy, biofuels and biochemical projects.
Jordan Solomon can be contacted at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com. For more information on Ecostratvisit the company's website at www.ecostrat.com/standards or visit the LinkedIn for all news and updates.