From woman of the law to woman of the woods

Growing up, Trèd’si was more of a traditional sawmill until her father had a sort of “vision” with a stack of utility poles like those used to support power lines, the entrepreneur explains.

“He thought we could give them a second life and tried it out.”

In 1997, a first partnership with Hydro-Québec was signed. A year later, the ice storm raged, which propelled the Westbury company.

Thanks to Trèd’si, thousands of utility poles made of treated wood have been recycled and revalued. Ms. Tremblay insists: “The wood used for poles has always been the straightest and strongest. Just because it can’t be used to make a pole doesn’t mean it’s good for nothing.”

What motivates Mohika Tremblay? “It’s the saving of virgin resources that excites us,” she says spontaneously.

Perfect mastery of the sound of the saw

The sound of the saw also reminds her of her childhood. “I can tell what’s going on with it just by hearing it. I start breathing again when it’s rolling. The rest of the time, I hold my breath,” she imagines.

Yet it was far from the lumberyard that she began studying to become a lawyer, all the way to university. Despite everything, the idea of ​​taking over the reins of the family business had always crossed her mind.

“I was in CEGEP and I was on Trèd’si’s board meetings. Sometimes, it was very long,” she says with a laugh. “In reality, it gave me a different vision of the company’s management.”

At the passage of The Tribune At the company’s facilities, her father Jean-Yves Tremblay was on hand. Although he has delegated full powers to his daughter, he regularly visits the company he founded.

Imposter syndrome

It was in 2015 that she officially took over the torch. She doesn’t hide the fact that she had imposter syndrome when she started out. “When you’re taking over from Jean-Yves, it’s not true that you can claim to know everything.”

What did she do to feel up to it? “I studied. I understood. I always worked hard, harder. I expanded my knowledge. There’s not a piece of wood I haven’t lifted. Every day, I go out into the yard.”

“People are respectful when you know what you’re talking about.”

Environment at the top

Environmental protection is at the top of Mohika Tremblay’s values. At a time when forest fires are becoming more and more frequent, the businesswoman believes it is even more important to prevent wood from having a premature end of life.

“Your tree makes your shade, your air conditioner and it collects your pollution. There is no limit. I often tell myself that it is right to understand it and that people are a little far from this nature.”

“We won’t break the whole economy by rethinking it,” she maintains.

Now 38, she believes there is still much education to be done regarding the second useful life of wood.

Wood is a carbon sensor and reservoir. “It’s a player in the fight against climate change. It’s what drives us. I’ve had little phases of depression because on an environmental level, you sometimes see that the boots don’t always follow the lips. It’s special, there are a lot of things to defend in our sector. It’s a niche.”

The circular economy of forest resources should be one of the priorities, according to her. She points out that poor management of treated wood can have considerable effects on the environment. Trèd’si aims in particular to reduce the pressure placed on forest resources.

Unfair competition

Unfair competition is one of the biggest challenges Mohika Tremblay faces, particularly when it comes to storing treated wood. She maintains that companies are hoarding treated wood without taking the necessary environmental precautions.

“Unfortunately, the Ministry of the Environment does not have the means to match its ambitions,” she believes.

Storage of treated wood should be limited, she said, because it generates leachate that can contaminate surrounding fields. Leachate is a liquid that is produced when water passes through waste or pollutants.

For its part, Trèd’si treats all water that comes into contact with treated wood, assures Ms. Tremblay.

“It’s the leachate that is the main issue. When we are in the second useful life, it is less intense depending on the age of the pole. […] When we are in the first life, the leachate and the quantity of preservatives contained in the pole is 100%. Here, it is perhaps 40% or 50%. With climate change, what we see arriving are younger poles. Hence the importance of acting on storage. The younger they are, the more they leach out.”

In his eyes, the State should be “more exemplary” in its management of public utility poles. Like Trèd’si and its owner who are fighting so that the environment finally takes precedence over the economy.

Sitting in her office with her father, Mohika Tremblay remembers spending every summer working at Trèd’si. At the age of 12 or 13, she started doing some tasks in the family business.

“What I wanted was for you to be able to sit in all the chairs,” says Jean-Yves Tremblay, looking at his daughter.

By working in all positions, Mohika Tremblay can understand the reality of her employees. There are about twenty people who work in the company.

“My heart was always here. My father believed in it so strongly. He was an example.”