Economic Growth in the Thunder Bay Forestry Sector
Northern Ontario is Open for Business
THUNDER BAY, ON — Today, Premier Doug Ford and Jeff Yurek, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, announced that Resolute Forest Products will be investing $40 million into Ontario’s Northwestern operations, and an additional $13.5 million into maintenance and job creation at the Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill.
“The forestry sector contributes $15.3 billion to Ontario’s economy. That’s more than 150,000 good jobs across rural and Northern Ontario,” said Ford. “Our government was elected to create and protect good jobs like these for workers and their families, and bring prosperity to long-overlooked communities in the North. Resolute knows Northern Ontario is Open for Business.”
The expansion of the Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill by Resolute Forest Products signals their confidence in Ontario’s economy, and will create an additional 25 new full-time jobs. In addition, the company’s investment plan includes $14.7 million to improve energy efficiency at the mill and cut greenhouse gas emissions, $9 million for the pulp capacity expansion project, $5.3 million for facility upgrades, as well as $13.5 million for maintenance costs.
“Today’s investment builds on the momentum of Premier Ford’s policies that have declared Ontario open for business,” said Yves Laflame, President and CEO of Resolute Forest Products. “Minister Yurek’s first words to me last July were that his ministry would be working with the forest industry and its workers — Premier Ford’s government will be a supporter of job creators like Resolute, not a barrier to jobs and growth.”
“Today is a great day for Resolute, and for the future of Ontario’s forestry sector,” said Yurek. “This investment not only emphasizes the opportunities in this sector, but the real need for a Provincial Forestry Strategy — and we are developing just that. I am confident we can grow our economy, create new jobs and encourage more investments across the povince.”
QUICK FACTS
- Resolute Forest Products is a global leader in the forest products industry with a diverse range of products, including market pulp, tissue, wood products, newsprint and specialty papers. The company has operations in 40 manufacturing facilities across Canada and the United States.
- Resolute employs close to 900 workers across its Northwestern Ontario pulp, paper and wood products and woodlands operations.
- Resolute is also investing $5.6 million into the modernization of the planer line at the Thunder Bay sawmill, as well as $5.4 million for improvements at the Atikokan, Ignace and Thunder Bay sawmills.
- This investment is expected to increase the annual production capacity of the sawmill facilities by 50 million board feet of lumber.
