Drayton Valley, Alberta, selected to receive multi-year investment through the company's Thrive program
SEATTLE, Sept. 21, 2026 /CNW/ -- Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) today announced a commitment to invest $1 million in Drayton Valley, Alberta, through the company's Thrive program. The investment will be made over the next several years with input from local elected officials, business leaders, nonprofits, employees and other community partners. Drayton Valley is the first community in Canada to be selected for the program, reflecting the company's long-term commitment to its Canadian operations.
"We have a responsibility to our rural operating communities to help them remain great places to live, work and do business for generations to come, and we launched our Thrive program several years ago to amplify the positive impact and support we can provide locally," says Devin W. Stockfish, president and chief executive officer. "We're looking forward to working with community leaders in Drayton Valley to address priority needs and provide meaningful long-term benefits."
Drayton Valley is a community of approximately 8,000 people located about 90 minutes southwest of Edmonton. Weyerhaeuser, which operates six manufacturing facilities across Canada, has operated a sawmill in Drayton Valley for nearly 40 years and in 2013 announced a $23 million investment in production upgrades. Today, the company employs approximately 450 people through its sawmill and surrounding forestry operations, making Weyerhaeuser the largest employer in the region.
"Weyerhaeuser is an important part of our community and a respected industry leader whose longstanding presence, investment and support continue to make a meaningful difference in Drayton Valley and the surrounding area," says Nancy Dodds, mayor of Drayton Valley. "We are deeply grateful for the strong partnership and trusted relationship we have built over the years, and we are thrilled to have been selected for this opportunity through the Thrive program. We look forward to working alongside Weyerhaeuser leaders and community members to identify our highest priorities and ensure this investment has a lasting impact as we build a stronger, healthier and more resilient future together."
Weyerhaeuser's Thrive program is a key pillar of the company's broader 3 by 30 Sustainability Ambition around rural communities and goes far beyond the financial investment. In selected communities, Weyerhaeuser leaders engage deeply with local stakeholders to identify and prioritize the challenges to be addressed through long-term collaboration, investment and advocacy. Potential opportunities in Drayton Valley will be explored by Weyerhaeuser and community leaders in the weeks and months ahead.
"We're here to listen to the needs of the community and work with local stakeholders, including our employees, to understand where we can make the biggest impact together," says Nancy Thompson, senior director of Advocacy and Philanthropy. "We'll be reaching out to community organizations and partners in the coming weeks to understand where our investment can make the biggest difference."
Each of Weyerhaeuser's three previously announced Thrive communities — Zwolle, Louisiana (2023), Raymond, Washington (2024), and Buckhannon, West Virginia (2025) — identified different priorities for investment. In Zwolle, improvements to local ballfields have been completed, and significant progress has been made in upgrading the city's water infrastructure. In Raymond, a workforce housing initiative launched earlier this year, and in Buckhannon, early discussions have focused on educational opportunities with a potential to improve STEAM education.
Weyerhaeuser launched Thrive in 2023 to provide additional resources and support to five of its rural operating communities across North America. Weyerhaeuser plans to announce its fifth Thrive community, completing the company's initial program commitment, later this year. Selected communities represent areas where Weyerhaeuser has a significant presence and a history of employee and leadership engagement; where there are opportunities to take advantage of external resources, such as federal or state/provincial infrastructure grants, to strengthen advocacy efforts; and where Weyerhaeuser can partner with other employers, nonprofits and community leaders to amplify efforts and impact on the ground.
ABOUT WEYERHAEUSER
Weyerhaeuser Company, one of the world's largest private owners of timberlands, began operations in 1900 and today owns or controls more than 10 million acres of timberlands in the U.S., as well as additional public timberlands managed under long-term licenses in Canada. Weyerhaeuser has been a global leader in sustainability for more than a century and manages 100 percent of its timberlands on a fully sustainable basis in compliance with internationally recognized sustainable forestry standards. Weyerhaeuser is also one of the largest manufacturers of wood products in North America and operates additional business lines around product distribution, climate solutions, real estate, energy and natural resources, among others. In 2025, the company generated $6.9 billion in net sales and employed approximately 9,500 people who serve customers worldwide. Operated as a real estate investment trust, Weyerhaeuser's common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol WY. Learn more at www.weyerhaeuser.com.
For more information contact:
Analysts – Andy Taylor, 206-539-3907
Media –Nancy Thompson, 919-861-0342
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SOURCE Weyerhaeuser Company
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