PA Pulp Mill has New Owner, Set to Re-Open

PA Pulp Mill has New Owner, Set to Re-Open

Monday, March 07, 2011 at 14:24

 

 

It appears the Prince Albert Pulp Mill will be re-opened.

 

It was announced earlier today that Paper Excellence is purchasing the facility from owner-company Domtar.

 

Paper Excellence is expected to invest more than $200 million into resurrecting the mothballed facility.

 

Two hundred full-time jobs are expected to be created along with several hundred construction jobs.

 

Paper Excellence, which already owns the mill in Meadow Lake, plans to use the Prince Albert facility to make things like rayon.

 

Prince Albert MLA Daryl Hickie says there are certain conditions that must be met before the mill restart.

 

However, he says these have already been addressed.

 

Hickie adds Paper Excellence figures it will take between 18 to 24 months to restart the facility.

 

However, he cautions it could take time additional time for the company to find contractors to help itself get going.

 

Meantime, the chief of the Prince Albert Grand Council says he’s happy about the news.

 

Ron Michel says he’s hopeful First Nations people will benefit through jobs.

 

He notes the Montreal Lake Cree Nation is the band whose land primarily sits in the Prince Albert FMA area.

 

City mayor Jim Scarrow says the forest industry has had to reinvent itself over the past five years to deal with all the challenges thrown at it.

 

He adds he’s hopeful the reopening of the mill will revitalize the entire industry.