Monthly Archives: October 2018

Resolute Forest Products is spending $40 million to upgrade and improve its operations in northwestern Ontario, plus an additional $13.5 million in maintenance. Company president-CEO Yves Laflamme made the announcement during an Oct. 25 press conference attended by Premier Doug Ford and Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Jeff Yurek at Fort William First Nation, the site of Resolute’s Thunder Bay sawmill. …The company is sinking $5.4 million into operations in Thunder Bay, Atikokan and Ignace to increase annual production capacity by a combined 50 million board feet of lumber. Twenty-five jobs have been created. …“A strong forestry sector is essential for our prosperity, and it has a significant impact on the people living in rural and Northern Ontario,” said Ford in a statement. “It is because of productive partnerships like ours with Resolute that the sector continues to thrive, and we will continue working to create more opportunities for the people of Ontario.”

MONTREAL – Resolute Forest Products Inc.today announced $40 million in investments at its Northwestern Ontario operations, in addition to $13.5 million in major maintenance and the creation of 25 new jobs. The announcement was made at a press conference in Thunder Bay attended by OntarioPremier Doug Ford, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Jeff Yurek, and many dignitaries and company employees. “Resolute has a strong operating presence in the region, and we are committed to investing in our facilities to ensure their profitability and long-term competitiveness,” stated Yves Laflamme, president and chief executive officer. “A secure fiber supply and sustainable business environment remain critical to future investments in the province.” The investment plan includes $14.7 million for the company’s Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, as well as $14.3 million to improve pulp capacity, reduce costs and maintain assets. 

The resurgence in mining and forestry in northwestern Ontario is having a transformative effect on the community of White River. The township’s once-shuttered sawmill has been up and running for the last five years as White River Forest Products, under the legendary Frank Dottori, and 25 kilometres to the north, mining mogul Stephen Roman and Harte Gold are bringing the newly christened Sugar Zone Mine to life. …Housing is at a premium and there’s a glaring need for people to fill industry and service sector jobs, “but it’s all good news to the community,” said long-time Mayor Angelo Bazzoni. …Bazzoni leads a pro-business council that teamed with Pic Mobert First Nation to buy the idled saw mill assets off Domtar in 2013 and recruited Dottori to buy in and take over the operation. The majority of the mill’s workforce commutes from surrounding communities.

THUNDER BAY — Resolute Forest Products is poised to make what’s expected to be a major announcement about new spending related to upgrading or expansion of its operations in northwestern Ontario. The company has called a news conference for Thursday morning at its Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill. Resolute says the purpose is to “announce significant investments and projects underway at its Northwestern Ontario pulp, paper and sawmill operations in Thunder Bay, Atikokan and Ignace.” Premier Doug Ford and Ontario Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Jeff Yurek will participate in the event. [END]

FOXBROOK, PICTOU COUNTY — Andrew Watters can’t help but worry about the future. He manages the Group Savoie sawmill in Foxbrook. …A bigger worry for forestry workers is the future of Northern Pulp. In an industry that is interconnected, Watters hopes, for the sake the sawmill he works at and others in the province, that Northern Pulp will be able to build a new effluent treatment facility and continue operation in Pictou County without interruption. More than 35 per cent of the saw logs that come into Group Savoie are from Northern Pulp, which sorts the wood and sends it to the place where the wood will get the highest value. …Jeff Bishop, executive director for Forest Nova Scotia, said the impact of the mill is significant. He believes if Northern Pulp were to ever close, the impact would be immediate.

PICTOU, NOVA SCOTIA — The fishing piers and the pulp mill represent two of the area’s major industries. But recently, they’ve been embroiled in conflict. Late last year, Northern Pulp announced plans to pipe chemically treated wastewater into the Northumberland Strait. Fishermen have argued that doing so would effectively destroy their livelihood. …On Tuesday, a showdown took place after fishermen spotted a boat they believed was doing preliminary survey work on behalf of the pulp mill. A fleet of fishermen met the vessel about two miles offshore and confronted the crew, then escorted them back to the dock. …Northern Pulp told the CBC, “At all times, the safety of employees, contractors and their employees is our first priority. …“If they come back there might be another ship wreck on the bottom of pictou harbour,” one fisherman wrote in a comment on a Facebook post.

Paper Excellence says it’s still committed to a future in Pictou County. Despite vocal opposition to its proposed plans for a replacement treatment facility that would pipe treated effluent into the Northumberland Strait, an ever-narrowing window to get the project complete before the Boat Harbour Treatment Facility is mandated to close and even though Paper Excellence has just purchased three pulp mills out west that produce a similar product, the company has no plans on pulling out of Pictou County, says Kathy Cloutier, director of corporate communications. “Paper Excellence executives… are committed to this project, Northern Pulp and its future,” she said. Over the summer, Cloutier said the company has tried to listen to the concerns about the original proposed route and have developed one that is more land-based but will still discharge treated effluent into the Northumberland Strait.