Ontario Forest Industries Association Partners with Habitat for Humanity GTA to Celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday

Pinery Trail Project to be Built With Ontario Wood

TORONTO, October 5, 2016     In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, the Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA) last week announced their new partnership with Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area (Habitat for Humanity GTA) during OFIA’s 2nd Annual Forestry Reception at Queen’s Park. The partnership will focus on Phase II of the Pinery Trail Project, Habitat for Humanity GTA’s largest building project in the organization’s history. Located in Toronto’s east end, the Pinery Trail project is a “back-to-back” stacked townhouse project that is being built in three phases.   This project will enable 50 working, low income GTA families achieve stability, self reliance and a better future through affordable homeownership.
Speaking at last week’s forestry reception at Queen’s Park, the Honourable Kathryn McGarry, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, commented “This is a wonderful initiative and through these new houses, OFIA is helping families in need and showcasing the great things we can build with locally sourced, sustainably harvested Ontario Wood.”
As the Official Wood Sponsor of the Pinery Trail project, OFIA’s members will be donating the wood products necessary to build the 15 townhomes that makeup Phase II of this project which begins in spring 2017.  Beyond donating the wood products, OFIA and its members will also be rolling up their sleeves, volunteering their time and energy to put their wood to work responsibly, building these sustainable houses that will be called home to families for generations.  To ensure easy access to Ontario wood products, OFIA has teamed up with Weston Forest Products.
“What better way to honour Canada’s birthday, than by continuing to do what the Ontario forest sector has done for over 150 years, grow Ontario’s forests to ensure renewable wood products are available to build homes for families” commented OFIA’s President and CEO, Jamie Lim.
“For many years, the Ontario forest industry has helped Ontarians and Canadians build this great province and this great country. Nowhere is the impact of this industry more personal and profound than in the walls and doors and floors and roofs of our homes” says Ene Underwood, CEO of Habitat for Humanity GTA. “We are tremendously proud that the OFIA and its members have chosen to celebrate and demonstrate this extraordinary legacy by helping us build 15 homes for working, low income families here in Toronto.”
Lim concluded, “As a sector that is older than Canada, we take great pride as being one of the foundational sectors of this great nation. Today, Ontario’s forest products sector continues to maintain healthy and productive forests and support families in communities across Ontario and will continue to do so for generations to come. The future of our nation is forestry.”
For further information, please contact:

Lauren McBride Director of Communications OFIA lmcbride@ofia.com 416-368-2842

About Ontario Forest Industries Association (OFIA) Ontario’s renewable forest products sector supports over 170,000 direct and indirect jobs in over 260 Ontario communities. Since 1943, the Ontario Forest Industries Association has represented forestry companies ranging from multinational corporations to family operated businesses producing advanced manufacturing technologies and products. OFIA believes that by working with government to address key competitive issues, secure long term access to affordable and accessible fibre and promote the province’s 21st century forest products sector, Ontario will be the number one jurisdiction in Canada for today’s green and growing renewable sector. To learn more about OFIA’s innovative forestry members, follow us on Twitter @OFIA_info, or visit www.ofia.com

Carol Davies Senior Director, Marketing & Communications Habitat for Humanity GTA Carol.davies@habitatgta.ca 416-755-7353 ext. 259

About Habitat for Humanity Greater Toronto Area (GTA): Habitat for Humanity GTA is a non-profit housing organization working with communities to give a hand up to working, low income families in the GTA to realize home ownership.  By offering zero down payment, no-interest mortgages capped at 30 percent of a family’s income, Habitat for Humanity GTA empowers families to achieve stability and self-reliance, so that they can build a better life for themselves and their children. With the support of donors and volunteers, we build homes along with partner families in Brampton, Caledon, Toronto, and York Region, serving two-thirds of the GTA. Since 1988, Habitat GTA has built more than 300 homes in partnership with families. Habitat GTA is one of more than 1,400 Habitat for Humanity affiliates worldwide sharing a common vision and purpose. To learn more, follow us on Twitter @HabitatGTA, Facebook Habitat for Humanity GTA or visit www.habitatgta.ca