The party leaders put a northern lens to their platforms during a debate held in North Bay on Friday.
Forestry was among the topics raised.
PC leader Doug Ford is promising protection to northern Ontario industries, suggesting the forest sector is at ground zero of his fight against the U.S. trade tariffs.
He outlined investments of over $400 million in the sector that has created over 3,500 new jobs.
“When it comes to the forestry sector, we’re going to support the forestry sector,” says Ford.
“We’re going to protect them against Donald Trump’s tariffs. We’re going to protect their families, their jobs and their communities.”
The opposition was critical of the Ford government’s support, drawing attention to mills in Terrace Bay, Espanola and Thessalon that closed or have been idled.
NDP leader Marit Stiles says Ford does not understand the industry or has taken the time to understand it.
“I talk to people up north, and people have said to me, it’s like Doug Ford sees our industries like monopoly pieces that you could just move around on a board,” says Stiles.
“That’s not how it works. One mill closes, it has huge economic impact. And these are the very communities that those workers built. So it isn’t just something you can move around.”
Stiles says she would establish a Buy Ontario initiative with forestry at the forefront.
Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie also feels the northern Ontario forestry industry has struggled under the PCs.
She says the trade dispute is a good opportunity to recalibrate and modernize the industry.
“And look for new partners. Diversify our supply chains as well. There’s a lot that can be done to protect those jobs, grow them, build new skilled labour around the new industries,” says Crombie.
Green Party leader Mike Schreiner also promised support to the industry.
He suggests a task force to examine how to modernize and upgrade the sector.
“We need modern plants, and we need to make sure those plants are in a position to take advantage of the huge opportunities in the fast-growing, emerging green economy,” says Schreiner.
“We need to be building mass timber buildings to maximize the value of our forests. We need to have a biomass strategy that shows how our forest industry can be a part of generating clean electricity in Ontario. We need our forestry sector to also have biomass as part of thermal heating solutions.”
The provincial election takes place on February 27th.
