Quebec Wood Export Bureau (Q-WEB)
Auditing and Traceability System:
A Canadian commitment to responsible trade
International Seminar
for Tackling Illegal logging,Tokyo, JapanFebruary 26-27, 2007

Carl-Éric Guertin, R.P.F., M. Sc.
Communications and Responsible Trade Manager
Quebec Wood Export Bureau
Member of Canada Wood Group

Presentation Plan
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Canada Wood Group
Canadian Overview
Global Overview
Quebec Wood Export Bureau (Q-WEB)
Q-WEB Code of Conduct
Q-WEB Auditing and Traceability SystemConclusion

1. Canada Wood Group

Overseas Offices
Japan (Tokyo)

China (Shanghai, Beijing) Taiwan (Tapei)

Korea (Seoul)

UK (London)

Europe (Brussels)

2. Canadian Overview
Basic Facts About Canada’s Forests•

10% of the world’s forest is in Canada– Forest and other wooded land - 401 million ha– Forest lands - 309 million ha•

Roughly 1 million hectares a year is harvested•

By law, it must be promptly regenerated– More than half a billion seedlings are planted each year•

Annual allowable cut (2001) 237 Million cubic meters– Actual harvest (2002) 190 Million cubic meters•Forest types:– 22% hardwood

66% softwood

12% mixed

2. Canadian Overview
Ownership of Canadian Forests
425,000 individuals,families, communities,
and forest companies

6%23%
FederalProvincialPrivate

71 %Canadian Forest Service, State of Canada’s Forests

2. Canadian Overview
Forest Management Planning and Regulation
Federal government has indirect responsibilities– Federal land
– Science– National Policy & Legislation (fisheries, migratory bird)– International agreement

Provincial governments have jurisdiction overforest management– Long term tenures (forest area or volume)– Comprehensive legislation conditions– 20-25 year forest management plans– Rolling 5 year development plans and site specific annual
operational plans– All forest management plans subject to public review prior toapproval.

2. Canadian Overview
Governance (NOT AN ISSUE)
Lack of ability to enforce laws (NOT AN ISSUE)
Illegal logging / illegal trade (NOT AN ISSUE)• Strict laws and regulations in the forestry sector• Efficient compliance monitoring system• Well-structured planning process

2. Canadian Overview
Low Risk Log Supply

Source : Seneca Creek Associates, LLC and Wood Resources International, LLC, October, 2004.

2. Canadian Overview
Canadian Certification Status in a Global Context

Largestarea ofcertified
forests inthe world

Source : Canadian Sustainable Forestry Coalition, 2007

2. Canadian Overview
SFM Certification Growth in Canada

73,4 (CSA)

31,4 (SFI)
19,6 (FSC)

Source : Canadian Sustainable Forestry Coalition, 2007

2. Canadian Overview
Demonstrating legality & sustainability• Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC)• Large corporations (pulp, paper and wood products)• FPAC committed its membership to achieve SFM
certification (CSA, FSC, SFI) on all lands under their
management by the end of 2006.
• FPAC members are committed to tracing their fibre
supplies back to the forest area of origin by the endof 2008 to assure customers that the wood fibre they
are using comes from legal sources.

2. Canadian Overview
Demonstrating legality & sustainability• For small and medium size companies• With or without harvest rights on Crown land
• Who by sawn timber on the open market• Semi- finished and finished wood products (1st, 2ndand 3rd processing manufacturers)• Quebec Wood Export Bureau (Q-WEB) Pilot
project – Auditing and Traceability System

Forestarea,net change3. GlobalOverview

Red>5% annual decrease
Green>5% annual increase3. Global Overview

ENGO’s involvement :“…the organization willcontinue to support theconcept of environmental
certification but, from thispoint forward, will focus
future efforts on
combating illegal wood
cutting.”
Chris Elliott, director of WWF International’s,Forests for Life Program, Atlanta 2002
(Anderson and al., 2002)

4. Quebec Wood Export Bureau (Q-WEB)• Provincial trade association established to promote
the export of Quebec (Canada) wood products onoverseas markets• Since 1996
• 200 corp. in 6 sectors :••••••Softwood lumber
Hardwood lumber
Hardwood flooring
Finished wood products
Prefabricated housing
Engineered wood

• Small family owned companies to multinational

5. Q-WEB Code of Conduct
Initiated in 2004, Adopted in 2006
A condition of membership
General Principles••••

Environment
Phytosanitary measures
Transportation
Workers conditions

Sector specific :•••Softwood lumber
Hardwood lumber
Hardwood flooring

Compliance procedures
Appendix B - Policy on Wood
Origin and Legality

5. Q-WEB Code of Conduct
General Principles – Environment«… committed to sourcing their wood products fromcompanies that can provide evidence that their supply
sources are known and legal, and that forests aremanaged according to legislation in effect. »« … members are encouraged to ask their suppliers tosign and abide by the Q-WEB Policy on Wood Originand Legality »«… independent certification of forests and/or chain ofcustody tracking systems are excellent tools to ensurethat procured wood is from known, legal and wellmanaged sources that in turn promote sustainable
forest management. »5. Q-WEB Code of Conduct
Sourcing timber / wood :Softwood and hardwood sectors• Crown land (public land) under Timber Supply and Forest
management Agreement• Small woodlot (non–industrial private forest)• Own private lands• Other Canadian provinces• United States

Other sectors• Sawn wood on the open market be it local, regional,provincial, national, United States and International

5. Q-WEB Code of Conduct
Appendix B - Policy on Wood Origin & Legality

6. Q-WEB Auditing & Traceability System
Objective

Reference II – Certification bycompanies Approved by Industry(Guidelines for Verification on Legalityand Sustainability of Wood and WoodProducts)

Need for Code of Conduct(Already exists for Q-WEB)
Need for Accreditation andCertificate of Legality(In development)6. Q-WEB Auditing & Traceability System
Working with suppliers

4 step approach

1. Inform on the need to sign the Policy (withdeadline) and ask for certified products and Chainof Custody
2. Follow-ups
3. Register letter recalling steps 1 & 2
4. Removed from preferred suppliers’ list or tagged
as high risk supplier6. Q-WEB Auditing & Traceability System
Demonstrating origin and legality of wood
1. For North American suppliers (self declaration)••

No need to provide documents of point 5 & 6 of thePolicy
If not confident in one of the suppliers, member will
request the appropriate documentation of point 5 & 6

2. International suppliers••

All documents listed in point 5 & 6 of the Policy arerequested
Use of WWF Country Legal Document Lists (Keep itLegal, Appendix 7)

6. Q-WEB Auditing & Traceability SystemAuditing•

Audit of membership once a year by a third party••

Auditors of CSA, FSC and SFI

If suppliers have not signed the Policy :••Verify if members’ suppliers
have signed the PolicyMembers will have to demonstrate through proper
documentation that they followed the 4 steps approach

Q-Web will issue a certificate to members thathave met the requirements of the Q-WEB system

7. Conclusion
Traceability :• Complex for small and medium sized members• Gets harder as we move along the supply chain
Q-WEB Auditing and Traceability System :• Major step to demonstrate members’ commitment
to responsible trade• Next steps :•Identify for other provinces / countries thedocumentation suggested in point 5 & 6 of the Policy ?

•Trace their wood back to the forest of origin ?

•Full Chain of custody ?

7. Conclusion
Canada Wood Partners
are ready to collaborate with importers,
ENGO’s or any others
to improve theQuebec Wood Export Bureau (Q-WEB)
Auditing and Traceability System