ALDERVILLE, Ontario – Sustainable Forestry Initiative®(SFI®) program participants will donate products from well-managed forests and help build the first Habitat for Humanity home in a First Nation community in Canada.
Louisiana Pacific Corporation and Norbord Inc. are providing engineered wood products and OSB for the home in Alderville, northeast of Toronto, being built through a partnership involving Habitat for Humanity Northumberland, the Alderville First Nation and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
“We are fortunate to have so many groups participating in this historic project,” Kim Lauder, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Northumberland, said today. “The Alderville First Nation has generously donated land within their community. We appreciate all the support, generosity and participation the community and businesses have demonstrated. This project has been made possible by the contributions from CMHC, RBC, SFI and Habitat for Humanity Canada – it means we can build a wonderful sustainable home this summer.”
“We are very pleased to establish partnerships like these with businesses and the community because it allows us to create an affordable home for an Alderville First Nation family,” said Chief James Marsden of Alderville First Nation. “Partnering with SFI also allows us to reinforce our respect for land and forests.”
The independent non-profit SFI forest certification program is one of the largest in the world, with a standard based on principles and measures that promote responsible environmental behavior and sound forest management. The SFI program will be represented Aug. 14 at the first Build Day, which will involve the Alderville community.
“Our partnerships with Habitat for Humanity capture the community spirit of the SFI program perfectly, and Alderville is our second project with Aboriginal partners – we are also supporting Habitat homes in Winnipeg involving the Manitoba Métis Federation,” said SFI President and CEO Kathy Abusow. “SFI and its participants have contributed hundreds of volunteer hours and thousands of dollars of products for Habitat projects in Minnesota, Maine, Tennessee, Manitoba, and now Ontario.”
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
