Graham Kissack

After laying dormant for over a decade, Prince Albert’s pulp and paper mill could come roaring back to life following a $600,000 injection from parent company Paper Excellence. The B.C. company purchased the mill back in 2011 from DOMTAR, and the non-compete agreement with the former owner runs out in March. Recently, Paper Excellence has begun engineering and consulting work that could see the mill open in the summer of 2023. “The opportunity to restart and manufacture craft pulp there has always been something that we’ve wanted to do, and clearly we’re in a position now where we can almost do that,” Paper Excellence environmental health, safety and communications vice president Graham Kissack said via Zoom from Mill Bay, B.C.

February 5th marks a significant day in the future of the Association of BC Forest Professionals. We are moving forward to be governed under a new, modern Professional Governance Act that allows us to continue to protect the public’s interest through the regulation of the forest profession. The Professional Governance Act (PGA) is being brought into force through regulations, which also repeal the Foresters Act that has governed the ABCFP since 1947. The PGA is similar to the Foresters Act in that it also grants the ABCFP the privilege of self-regulation although we won’t have the same autonomy in our self-regulation status.New ABCFP Bylaws also take effect today. New bylaws are needed in order to transition the rights and authorities from the existing Foresters Act and meet the new requirements of the PGA. …Our new publication, The Professional Governance Act: What You Need to Know, provides more information on how the PGA affects you as a forest professional.

VICTORIA — Today the College of Applied Biology Act was repealed and the Professional Governance Act (PGA) and corresponding Applied Biologist Regulation came into effect in British Columbia. The new Act is intended to provide a consistent framework for five self-regulating professions under the Act that incorporates best practices in governance. Over the past three years, the College has been working with the provincial government through the Professional Reliance Review, development of the Professional Governance Act and putting in place the regulations, bylaws, policies and standards to improve professional regulation to better protect the public interest of all British Columbians. With the College of Applied Biology Act officially repealed, the College and its over 2500 practicing registrants are regulated under the new legislation. To comply with the new Act the College Rules have been replaced by the new College bylaws and the Code of Ethics has been revised and is now the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.

SASKATOON — The company that owns the Prince Albert Pulp and Paper Mill assets says it plans to restart the pulp mill in summer of 2023.   Paper Excellence is completing a detailed evaluation of the existing equipment that will be refurbished and carrying out engineering work for the new equipment.  …“We’re in talks with 16 different Indigenous nations and other interest in the area to re-establish those agreements as we try to move this initiative forward,” said Graham Kissack, vice president, EHS and corporate communications. …The Government of Saskatchewan provided a timber allocation to Paper Excellence in June 2018 tied to the restart of the mill. …The Weyerhaeuser Pulp and Paper Mill shut down in 2006, costing about 690 jobs.  Paper Excellence bought the pulp mill in 2011. It’s non-compete agreement with Domtar, the former owners expires in March, 2021.

Bob Brash

Over the decades, governments of all stripes have made considerable promises and commitments to strengthen B.C.’s forestry sector, and the resource communities and workers dependent upon its success. Well, it’s time to move forward on those promises for everyone’s future well-being.   Contrary to the stories constructed by those with ulterior agendas, B.C.’s forestry sector remains critical to its economy now and into the future. More importantly, 340 of B.C.’s communities and 120 First Nations and organizations are dependent — to varying degrees — on the success of the sector for their continuing sustainability, viability and vitality.   …Another fact, contrary to the story board of those fighting against the forestry sector, is B.C.’s Lower Mainland and urban areas’ dependence on the forest industry.  …In fact, a recent Council of Forest Industry study shows 19 municipalities in Metro Vancouver to be the largest recipients of the industry supply-chain spend.

RICHMOND, BC – Paper Excellence has recently invested more than $600,000 in engineering and consulting work focused on restarting the Prince Albert pulp mill. Paper Excellence originally purchased the Prince Albert pulp mill in 2011. It now plans to restart the facility as soon as possible once the current non-compete agreement with the former owner expires in March 2021. “We plan to replace the entire fibre line from the digester to the last bleaching stage. This will replace the heart of the mill and let us take full advantage of the existing recovery boiler which is one of the most modern in Canada,” explains Carlo Dal Monte, Vice President, Energy & Business Development. …Paper Excellence looks forward to the day when the site can employee 200 people creating over $300 million per year in economic benefits for Prince Albert and all of Saskatchewan.