PORT ALICE, BC — BC government Assistant Deputy Minister, Laurel Nash, presented a Neucel site update at a Village of Port Alice council meeting. Deputy minister Nash informed the meeting that the cleanup of the Neucel mill site will likely be completed by March 2024. Price Waterhouse Cooper ran into several surprises that, according to Nash, were “environmental catastrophes.” When they removed a retaining wall of the 100-year-old mill, they discovered that it was contaminated with asbestos. The toxic material had to be bagged and shipped to Drayton Valley to be disposed of—a total of 120 truckloads. …No municipal landfill on the island was willing to accept the material. …Nash said it is difficult to say if the area will be able to be used as an industrial site again. There would need to be a hazard assessment, but that can’t be done until all the critical issues are dealt with.