Port Saint John feeling effects of Nackawic, New Brunswick mill closure

By Avery MacRae
CTV News
October 6, 2026
Category: Business & Politics
Region: Canada, Canada East

PORT SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick — As the pending idling of the AV Nackawic mill looms over much of New Brunswick, the province’s biggest port is already feeling the effects. Port Saint John CEO Craig Bell Estabrooks says, “They represent about 8% – 10% of our containerized traffic, and upwards of 15% to 20% of the export containers that are coming out of the port,” says Bell Estabrooks. …With potentially a fifth of the port’s container business about to be gone, the port president says his team has been reaching out to other businesses to see how the port could push their product. …“While containers are down, our break bulk business is up,” says Bell Estabrooks. …”with potash exports, and our cruise business is steady.” …Unifor 219 president Grant Charlton, “we would really like to see the mill be at least heated for the winter to protect the asset from damage from the cold weather.”

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