Access to forest resources

 To encourage and facilitate employment and contracts awarded to the Crees, Québec shall guarantee Cree Enterprises an annual volume of 350,000 m3 of timber within the limits of the commercial forest situated on Agreement territory. This volume is guaranteed and is in addition to any timber volume found on Category I lands. It is allocated pursuant to the provisions of the Sustainable Forest Development Act (SFDA) of April 1, 2013. Prior recommendations may be made by the Cree Nation Government (CNG) to the Minister regarding the type of forestry right granted. This timber volume’s distribution between Cree communities is determined by the CNG, which notifies the Minister thereof. At the request of the Crees, all or part of the annual timber volume may be sold on the open market by the Minister’s Bureau de mise en marché des bois on the conditions it determines and free of administrative fees until March 31, 2022.

Employment and contracts

Québec encourages forestry enterprises operating in the Territory to employ the Crees and to provide contracts to them and to Cree Enterprises. These forestry enterprises are required to supply the Minister with the number of contracts concluded with Crees and Cree Enterprises in their annual activity report and indicate the employment and contract opportunities expected in the subsequent year.

Québec also encourages Cree Enterprises’ access to contracts to carry out non-commercial sylvicultural work on the Territory. This opportunity, offered first to Cree Enterprises until March 31, 2020, depends on a quality assessment of the work carried out according to the criteria established by the Minister. Before March 31, 2020, the CNG and Minister may negotiate to renew this opportunity. The Agreement provides that CNG and the Minister should agree on a mechanism for identifying the Cree Enterprises eligible each year for contract awarding.

Cree-Québec Forestry Economic Council

The Cree-Québec Forestry Economic Council (CQFEC) is composed of an equal number of representatives designated by the CNG and the Minister. Forestry enterprises may be invited to participate in the CQFEC’s work.

The CQFEC’s mandate is to promote the development of economic and business opportunities for the Crees in forest development activities. It ensures that employment and contracts are awarded to Crees and Cree Enterprises, based on a list supplied by the CNG of Cree Enterprises interested in carrying out forest development activities. The CNG holds discussions with the five Cree communities in the Territory to review how best to use the annual volume of 350,000 m3 of timber (see paragraph 1 on this page for details) and enhance Cree involvement in forestry businesses, employment and contracts.

The CQFEC gathers and provides relevant information to enhance discussions on these two points. It suggests ways to the Standing Liaison Committee to resolve any dispute relating to economic issues that may arise between the parties.

The CQFEC will recommend ways to the parties for measures for awarding employment and contracts to the Crees and Cree Enterprises to evolve in order to enhance the Crees’ economic involvement in forest development activities.