The Coopérative forestière de Ferland-Boilleau in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec was founded in 1963 as the Syndicat Forestier Ferland-Boilleau, after 30 families lost their logging concession to a large company. The group changed their name from syndicat to chantier in the 1970s, and then to cooperative in the 1980s. The cooperative has around 120 workers, 90 of which are members.
Starting in the 80s the group diversified their activities. They produced saplings for reforestation – and even experimented with growing tomatoes for a few years. They have made investments in several regional partners and subsidiaries, investing in the Lignarex mill in La Baie in 2012 and then acquiring 75% of the Lignarex Group in 2018. In 2013 they launched a distillery to make essential oils from wood products, as well as supplying dried plants for a KM12 gin. In 2015 they formed a partnership with another company to produce wood pellets, and in 2024 the cooperative bought a sawmill in Lac-Saint-Jean.
From the cooperative
- https://www.coopfb.com/
- Lignarex – Nous sommes partenaires de la Coopérative forestière Ferland-Boilleau
Studies
Articles
- Radio Canada – La Coopérative forestière Ferland-Boilleau prend de l’expansion (2024)
- Le Quotidien – La Coopérative forestière Ferland-Boilleau achète la scierie Lac-Saint-Jean (2024)
- Investissement Québec – La Coopérative forestière Ferland-Boilleau consolide ses activités (2024)
- CBC – 60 ans pour la Coopérative forestière Ferland-Boilleau (2023)
- Fjord Sagueney – La Coopérative de Ferland-et-Boilleau, entre traditions et innovation (2021)
- Informe Affaires – L’avenir de l’industrie de la forêt est dans la « coopétition » (2016)
- CBC – La Coopérative forestière Ferland-et-Boilleau va transformer l’if du Canada (2014)
- CBC – Relance de l’ancienne usine des Planchers Mistral à Ferland-et-Boilleau (2013)
- Le Quotidien – Le juge tranche dans Scierie Gauthier (2012)
- CBC – Fin de la production de plants forestiers à Ferland-Boilleau (2003)
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