A busy start to 2019

Greetings!  I am hoping that all of our members are enjoying the arrival of spring. 2019 is passing by quickly, and the weeks leading up to me writing this column have been hectic to say the least.  I have found myself meeting with members and HT Program clients in three provinces, attending the Quebec Pallet Association’s spring plant tour, visiting some Ontario manufacturing facilities with our friends from the NWPCA, and attending several policy and committee meetings in Ottawa.
 
Reflecting on the past weeks and the first four months of 2019, I felt that I should take this opportunity to highlight the CWPCA activities to date this year, and look ahead at what is to come.
 
First, I want to thank all of our members and clients for the timely renewal of membership and HT Program certification.  Once again, the CWPCA continues to grow its membership and is boasting strong retention rates for existing members.  We look forward to continuing the trend.
 
Some of the highlights from the first quarter include:

• A meeting of the Canadian Forest Phytosanitary Working Group, where we discuss market access issues for Canadian forest products, and have an opportunity to hear of the state of affairs in the forest industry on both the provincial and federal level.  Participants in this group include the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), Global Affairs Canada (GAC), Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN), Canada Wood, Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Board (CLSAB), and the Quebec Forest Industries Council (QFIC)
• Attendance at the Sustainable Industry Roundtable (highlighted in last month’s column)
• Policy review session with CFIA, CLSAB, and QFIC
• Attendance at the Western Pallet Association meeting where the Nature’s Packaging Marketing Committee held in person meetings. I was also fortunate enough to participate on an automation panel
• Consultations with the Canadian Forest Products Advisory Committee regarding potential changes to heat treating standards in Canada
• Over twenty on site member and client visits
• Meetings of the CWPCA Strategic Planning, Executive, and Packaging Committees

The first quarter of 2019 also saw me and my awesome teammates Lori and Stephanie, along with our Board of Directors, hard at work planning this year’s events.  We are pleased to announce that registrations for the June AGM in Victoria British Columbia are strong and our hotel block is nearly full.  If you have not yet registered and are planning to do so, please visit the website, or give Lori a call to get signed up.  This year’s event is designed to provide not only networking and education, but also offers numerous opportunities to enjoy the beauty of Vancouver Island.  Myself, I cannot wait to spend some time on the water chasing some B.C Salmon after the conclusion of Saturday’s speaker program.  To those who have yet to attend a CWPCA AGM, and to those not registered I strongly recommend considering this year’s event!!  Dates are also set for this year’s Annual Charity Golf Tournament, which will take place Tuesday, August 13, at Caledon Woods golf course in Bolton, ON.  Registration will be open soon.
 
Finally, it is with great pleasure that I make the following announcement.  After the success of last year’s INTERPAL event in Minneapolis, our friends at the NWPCA and the CWPCA have decided to team up once again, this time to host a North American Industry event.  On October 1-3, 2019, the eyes of the North American Wood packaging industry will be focused on Toronto, Ontario where we, along with the NWPCA, will host the annual fall plant tours.  We are very excited to have the opportunity to showcase the facilities of four industry leaders in the Greater Toronto Area, and host two networking events featuring exhibits.  Registration details, including tour host information, will be provided in the coming weeks, and we suggest early registration to ensure that you get a spot at this sure to sell out event.
 
2019 is off to a great start, and all of us are looking forward to the balance of the year.