Congratulations to this year s nominees and award winners!

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1 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, rd Annual Biomass North Awards Ceremony Celebrates Bioeconomy Leadership As part of Biomass North Forum 2018, our 3 rd annual Awards Ceremony took place the evening of October 17 th at the Valhalla Inn and Suites in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Here we recognized and congratulated leaders in Canada s bioeconomy for their hard-earned achievements in the field. Congratulations to this year s nominees and award winners! Municipal Leadership in the Bioeconomy City of Prince George Indigenous Leadership in the Bioeconomy Nishnawbe Aski Nation Government Leadership in the Bioeconomy Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Industry Leadership in the Bioeconomy Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) Champion in the Bioeconomy Walter Manitowabi

2 Municipal Leadership in the Bioeconomy Awarded to: City of Prince George Accepted By: Melissa Barcellos - Manager, Economic Development This award celebrates a Canadian municipality, First Nation, economic development commission, community-focused organization or regional partnership whose biomass initiative has made an outstanding contribution to community and/or regional needs through significant change, demonstrated leadership, meaningful partnerships, and has the potential to be replicated elsewhere. For their innovative district energy system that pipes waste heat from a local manufacturing facility to the downtown core, reducing both cost and emissions AS WELL AS their sector leadership in developing the bioeconomy in one of the world s largest fibre baskets through their high profile Canadian Bioeconomy Conference & Exhibition. We are so pleased to offer this award to the City of Prince George!

3 Indigenous Leadership in the Bioeconomy Awarded to: Nishnawbe Aski Nation Accepted By: Jocelyn Cheechoo, Director of Environment and Climate Change This award celebrates a Canadian First Nation community, Indigenous-led economic development commission or Indigenous-focused organization whose biomass initiative has made an outstanding contribution to community and/or regional needs through significant change, demonstrated leadership, meaningful partnerships, and has the potential to be replicated elsewhere. The winner of this year s Indigenous Leadership in the Bioeconomy award is an organization that has consistently demonstrated sector leadership. From their uptake of the now defunct GreenON program to complete almost 200 wood stove exchanges in 6 fly-in communities over ice roads before the last spring thaw, to the visionary implementation of an Environment, Energy, and Climate Change division, their leadership is inspiring. We are honoured to offer this award to Nishnawbe Aski Nation!

4 Government Leadership in the Bioeconomy Awarded to: Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) Accepted by: Jean-Francois Levasseur - Director, Industry, Innovation & Indigenous Programs Maureen McIlwrick - Liaison Officer, Indigenous Forestry Programs This award celebrates a Provincial or Federal Government ministry, agency, branch or initiative in Canada that shows progressive and meaningful leadership in bioeconomy development. This year s recipient is the epitome of progressive and meaningful leadership in bioeconomy development. Their Clean Energy for Rural and Remote Communities program is focused on reducing reliance on diesel in rural and remote communities by deep fuel switching to more sustainable energy solutions such as biomass. They manage the Indigenous Forestry Initiative, a program that encourages Indigenous participation in the global forest economy. They also represent Canada with a seat at the Circumboreal Forest Working Group, which includes all of us fortunate people who get to live in the boreal forest. It is our great pleasure to offer this award to Natural Resources Canada!

5 Industry Leadership in the Bioeconomy Awarded to: Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bio-Economy (CRIBE) Accepted by: Chris Walton, CEO This award celebrates a private sector business or non-profit/non-governmental organization in Canada that has demonstrated leadership through their biomass-related products, services and/or operations. The winner of this award is an organization that directly invests in innovation and job creation in the forestry sector. From commercialization of research and innovation findings using forest biomass to transferring new technologies to industry, this organization facilitates the creation of new products, processes and technologies to attract new business, promote innovation and support jobs and wealth for Ontario s forest dependent communities. It is our great pleasure to extend this award to CRIBE, the Centre for Research and Innovation in the Bioeconomy.

6 Champion in the Bioeconomy Awarded to: Walter Manitowabi Community Engagement - Mitigokaa Development Corp Managing Partner Three Fires Solutions Accepted By: Walter Manitowabi This award celebrates an individual in Canada that has made a meaningful contribution to bioeconomy development and leadership in their community, region, business/organization or for the sector at large. The winner of this award is the reason Biomass North Development Centre exists. One day our phone rang and the person on the other end shared a vision: a prosperous northern Ontario, where our forest resources were used sustainably for the benefit of all northerners. Where First Nations exerted jurisdiction over traditional forest resources. Where the environmental services that our forests provide are valued. Where we enjoyed energy security and independence. Where innovation flourished. Walter put his vision to the test. He formed Three Fires Solutions, has worked with several First Nations to build bioeconomy projects, and through Mitigokaa Development Corp, develops complete sustainable and renewable biomass energy solution for communities currently entirely reliant on diesel fuel generation. We are honoured to extend this award to Walter Manitowabi.