Paper Excellence recently announced they have begun a feasibility study into the possibility of building a new mill in Queens County.
Queens MLA and Public Works Minister expressed excitement at that news but said she understands people’s concerns.
“They’ve started their study and there will be extensive stakeholder input and I think at that point is when questions will be asked,” Masland said. “We know if this mill were to go forward it would be state of the art.”
Masland was specifically asked about concerns surrounding the smell from a potential mill, and while she shares those concerns she is awaiting the results of the feasibility study to see if they would be a factor.
The Northern Pulp group (a subsidiary of the Paper Excellence group) and the Province of Nova Scotia of a review process that will explore the feasibility of a new, modern mill in Liverpool, Nova Scotia. Paper Excellence Canada will fund this review process and will work in close consultation with the Province of Nova Scotia in undertaking a feasibility study to determine whether a viable business case exists to open a new mill there.
The potential construction of a state-of-the-art Northern Bleached Softwood Kraft (NBSK) pulp mill therefore depends on a determination of viability under this study.
If a new mill is viable, the Northern Pulp group will seek third-party project financing to design, construct, and operate it. Northern Pulp will also pay the province $15M to fully resolve previous woodlands-related debt and will continue to own the woodlands.
If a new mill is not feasible, the Northern Pulp group’s assets in Nova Scotia will be sold in a managed process. The proceeds from the sale will be used to repay the debtor-in-possession financing incurred throughout Northern Pulp’s CCAA process, fund and wind-up pension plans and contribute to cleanup costs. Any funds remaining will go to the province to repay the debts owed to it.
-Paper Excellence Announcement of Liverpool Feasibility Study
The Public Works Minister also said that this mill wouldn’t be like the ones of old most of which were built prior to the more stringent environmental regulations of today.
Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman (left) and NS Minister of Economic Development Kim Masland at an event at Queens Place Emera Centre. Photo: Evan Taylor
“Our province has very strict environmental regulations and any industrial employer would be held to those standards,” Masland said.
Mayor of the Region of Queens Darlene Norman similarly indicated she is waiting for the study to be complete before sharing her and the council’s thoughts on the project.
“All we are aware of is the fact a business case study will be undertaken to determine the feasibility, community reaction, etc,” Norman said. “Until the process moves further along, it really is premature to discuss anything further.”
The feasibility study is expected to be complete within the next nine months.
