Following the presentation of the 2024–25 budget of the Government of Quebec, Minister of Natural Resources and Forests Maïté Blanchette Vézina praised the $8.5 million (CAD) in funding allocated for the recovery of salvage timber in public forests resulting from the strong winds that swept through the Bas-Saint-Laurent region in December 2022.
The area damaged area totals more than 17,000 hectares, which is equivalent to approximately three years of usual harvest for a volume of nearly 3 million cubic meters of wood. The investment of $8.5 million over two years will make it possible to recover wood toppled by strong winds before it deteriorates, Vézina said.
“These sums allocated for the Bas-Saint-Laurent region demonstrate the government’s commitment to supporting the regional forestry sector by allowing effective recovery of the volumes of wood affected by the strong winds of December 2022. It is essential to put in place concrete actions to help maintain forestry opportunities in regions where the forestry sector is an important economic driver. »
Maïté Blanchette Vézina , Minister of Natural Resources and Forests, Minister responsible for the Bas-Saint-Laurent region and the Gaspésie−Îles-de-la-Madeleine region