As we move toward a low-carbon economy, Canada continues to support sustainable tools, products and technologies that solidify our forest sector’s place in the growing bioeconomy.
That’s why today, Natural Resources Canada announced over $1.5 million to FPInnovations for an innovative project that aims to develop asphalt that contains wood-derived products from Canada’s forest sector.
FPInnovations, in collaboration with the construction firm Eurovia and the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable du Québec, will conduct an on-road pilot in Ange-Gardien, Quebec. Pilots have also been conducted in other provinces to test the asphalt’s performance in the wide range of climate conditions we see in Canada.
The new asphalt being tested contains a renewable bioproduct, lignin, which is intended to replace a portion of the petroleum-based bitumen currently found in the asphalt used in roads. This new product would increase pavement preservation and possibly extend service life for pavements and roads in the face of climate change.
The $1.5-million contribution is being delivered through the Forest Innovation Program (FIP), which supports the development of new technologies and practices that improve the environmental sustainability and economic productivity of Canada’s forest sector.
Through investments like this, Canada is supporting and diversifying the forest sector with sustainable solutions that will increase its competitiveness, lower emissions and support economic growth.
Quotes
“Canada is blessed with immense forest resources. Finding innovative ways of managing and utilizing these resources can provide new pathways for low-carbon solutions. This means lower emissions and good, sustainable jobs for workers. This partnership with FPInnovations is paving the way for a more sustainable Canada.”
The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources
“Today’s announcement is truly thrilling news. Exploring inventive methods to oversee and harness these resources has the potential to open fresh avenues for eco-friendly solutions. Consequently, we can anticipate reduced emissions and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities for our workforce. Our collaboration with FPInnovations is charting the course toward a more environmentally sustainable Canada.”
Stéphane Lauzon Member of Parliament - Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation, Quebec and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Rural Economic Development
“This testbed represents an important step toward the adoption of lignin by the road construction industry. This key partnership with the Ministère is helping to accelerate the integration of innovative products into the value chain and to demonstrate the benefits of innovations from the forest sector. The contribution of the forest sector to the advancement of low-carbon products remains a major motivator for FPInnovations’ innovative projects.”
Stéphane Renou
President and CEO, FPInnovations
“The road we built on Raymond Boulevard. in Quebec City in 2021 with a lignin-based asphalt showed no signs of weakness compared with conventional mixtures after two years. We are enthusiastic about continuing to participate in this innovative project, since we believe in the importance of decarbonization in the pavement industry, and we are confident that lignin will be one of the solutions enabling us to achieve our carbon neutrality objectives.”
Yvan Paquin
Technical Director, Eurovia Québec
Related products
- Forest Innovation Program
- FPInnovations
- Eurovia
- Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable du Québec
Source: Natural Resources Canada
