The Ministry of Natural Resources’ (MNR) mission is to manage our natural resources in an ecologically sustainable way to ensure that they are available for the enjoyment and use of future generations. It is in the ministry’s mandate to provide leadership and oversee the determination of Crown wood supply, the allocation and licensing of Crown timber, wood measurement and the establishment and administration of Crown timber charges. All of which are governed by the Crown Forest Sustainability Act (CFSA) and its regulatory manuals.
Allocation and Licensing
The allocation and licensing process is governed by the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, (CFSA) and its regulations.
In Ontario, access to forest resources from Crown lands is provided by mechanisms available under Part 3 of the CFSA which include Supply Agreements, Sustainable Forest Licences and other Forest Resource Licences.
Available Wood Report - MNR in collaboration with forest management unit managers and existing industry stakeholders have identified potential available wood supplies on management units in Ontario. Find out more about available wood supply opportunities »
Forest Tenure is the term commonly used to describe the allocation and licensing of timber from Crown forests. Tenure is governed by legal arrangements that define the rights and responsibilities assigned to forestry companies and other resource users.
Forest Tenure and Pricing Modernization
Ontario is modernizing the system that governs who manages Crown forests, including how companies get wood and how it is priced in the province. A modernized system would help create more flexibility to enable us to respond to today’s fast-changing economic environment and put Ontario’s Crown forests to work for all Ontarians.
Our government intends to take a careful and measured approach that will benefit the established and emerging forest industry, as well as Aboriginal and local communities.
Ontario's Forest Tenure will transition to Local Forest Management Corporations and Enhanced Sustainable Forest Licences.
Find out how the forest tenure and pricing modernization system will shape the future of forestry in Ontario.
Wood Measurement (Scaling)
Scaling is the measurement of harvested and/or standing forest resources and the determination of quantity and quality of those forest resources. The determination of these volumes leads to the assessment of values for the payment of harvesting contractors and the selling/purchasing of the resource by licensees and processing facilities (mills).
The CFSA sets out the requirements of a Scaling Manual that provides the directions for measurement of all Crown forest resources, the competency of scalers and minimum utilization standards. It provides the means through which Ontario collects revenue from the disposition of Crown forest resources.
In Ontario, the recognized methods of measurement are cube scaling, stacked scaling, cube scale by grade, mass, and under certain conditions, standing tree method.
More information on scaling, scaling courses and how to access the Scaling Manual »
Crown Timber Charges
In Ontario forest companies pay Crown charges for every cubic metre of timber they harvest.
The pricing system used by MNR to calculate stumpage charges is designed to trigger higher prices in times of strong markets for forest products, while in poor markets timber harvesters pay lower or minimum rates.
Crown charges are composed of a Stumpage charge, Forestry Futures Trust charge and Forest Renewal Trust charge.
Learn about how Crown charges are calculated and where to access current rates »
