Menu

forestry

dom3-1

Local Teachers Attend Forestry Class

,

It was back to class for more than 20 teachers from across the region.

The Canadian Institute of Forestry recently delivered the 3rd annual Teacher’s Forestry Tour in Dryden.

Educators took part in classroom sessions and gained practical and hands-on experience in the field.

Classroom sessions focused on forest management planning, the science of forestry, legislation, forest certification and operations.

The teachers then participated in a field tour of harvest operations.

Spokesperson Dianne Loewen says there are many misconceptions about forestry and they wanted to provide an opportunity for teachers to learn about sustainable forestry first hand from professionals.

Loewen notes the goal is to have instructors pass on that knowledge to their students.

The initiative is a joint effort between Domtar, Weyerhaeuser, Dryden Forest Management, Raleigh Falls Timber and the Canadian Institute of Forestry-Lake of the Woods Division.

The next tour is scheduled to take place in Kenora in 2020.

domtar-1-1

Domtar Releases Third Quarter Results

, , ,

Domtar is out with its third quarter earnings.

The company is reporting net earnings of $20-million compared to $18-million for the second quarter of 2019.

Sales for the third quarter came in at $1.3-billion.

Net earnings in the third quarter of 2018 were $99-million.

President and Chief Executive Officer John Williams says their results in paper improved with lower maintenance and raw material costs.

Williams adds in pulp, downward price adjustments continued in most regions, but they are seeing increasing signs of improvement in supply and demand.

He says for the fourth quarter, maintenance is expected to be higher while paper is expected to be negatively impacted in part by a seasonally unfavourable mix.

Williams is anticipating some volatility in softwood and fluff pulp markets.

caul-2

Fort Frances Makes Move On Idled Mill

, , ,

More drama in Fort Frances surrounding the idled pulp and paper mill.

It appears any relationship the town had with Riversedge Developments appears to be fading.

Earlier this Summer, Resolute Forest Products sold the mill to Riversedge Development for $1.

Mayor June Caul says they’ve had no communication with developer Justus Veldman in almost seven weeks.

Caul says there was a promise made by Veldman to communicate on a bi-weekly basis.

She notes “We’ve been in contact with Red Rock, Sault Ste. Marie, Iroquois Falls, places that he’s been in before, and it has been a disaster in those areas.”

Caul says she has also been working with Northern Development and Mines Minister Greg Rickford and Natural Resources and Forestry John Yakabuski to protect and secure wood rights.

She says she won’t rest until there is something guaranteed in writing.

Caul stresses there are still interested companies wanting to take over the facility.

Caul says Rickford and Yakabuski were to have further meetings on the issue but hasn’t been told if they’ve taken place or their outcome.

Meantime, an outstanding tax bill is giving Fort Frances some leverage to keep the facility intact.

The town has issued a notice of seizure against all personal property located on mill property.

The move comes after reports certain pieces of heavy equipment were recently removed from the site.

According to the notice, more than $489,000 in taxes are owing.

https://twitter.com/dwjudson/status/1161297062434168833

forestry-1

Province Supporting Forest Industry Training

, ,

The province is investing more than $2.4-million to support forestry training programs in northwestern Ontario.

The programs will help get people working by providing them with the technical and job-ready sills they need as well as job placements in the industry.

Confederation College is receiving $1,193,456 in funding to help 144 people gain the skills needed to work in the forestry sector.

Training will take place in Nakina, Kenora, Thunder Bay and White River.

It will focus on skills and experience needed for mechanical harvesting equipment operators, wood processing basics, control systems and life skills training.

The money is also being used to support a Nishnawbe Forestry Operation and Sawmill Training program, led by Oshki-Pimache-O-Win.

The project will help 56 Indigenous workers and unemployed job seekers prepare for careers in forestry-related professions and will include on-the-job exposure to silviculture, sawmill and harvesting operations training.

Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Ross Romano says the funding will help people receive on-the-job training while allowing them to live in their home communities.

Student Raymond Shebagabow is happy with the skills he’s learning on-the-job through the Anishinawbe Forestry Operator Training and Apprenticeship program.

 

fedeli-1

Ontario Applauding Softwood Lumber Ruling

, , , ,

The provincial government is claiming victory in the latest development of the softwood lumber dispute.

The North American Free Trade Agreement Chapter 19 dispute panel has ruled the underlying earlier U.S. International Trade Commission softwood lumber determination was riddled with serious errors.

The panel has directed the ITC to issue a new determination addressing several key issues and findings that the ITC got wrong in their original investigation.

A joint statement has been released by Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry John Yakabuski and Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli.

It states the PC’s were expecting the decision, stressing softwood lumber produced in Ontario has always been fairly traded across the U.S. border.

It reads Ontario will continue to strongly defend the industry, communities and workers in this unwarranted and unfair dispute.

The government says it affirms that the imposition of the current countervailing duties against Canadian exports of softwood lumber are unjustified.

(Picture: Vic Fedeli)

devlin-rickford-sept-4-800x450-2

Provincial Funding For Devlin Timber

, , ,

Devlin Timber in Keewatin is getting $268,010 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.

The money will allow the company to purchase three new 2019 logging trucks.

Carla Devlin says they are proud to be one of the only lumber companies to receive money from the NOHFC.

“Part of it (the funding) is a loan, and part of it is a conditional grant,” says Devlin, “it’s definitely good for the company.”

Howard Adams says it’s just what they needed.

“These trucks will be able to go out farther. We”ll be able to send them farther because they’re newer and they’ll last long being well maintained. All three will be used for logging/hauling our products to Kenora Forest Products, Weyerhaeuser or Eacom in Ear Falls. Wherever the products go, that’s what the trucks will be used for.”

Greg Rickford is the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines as well as the chair of the NOHFC, and says he was pleased to present the money.

“Our government is committed to creating good jobs and helping local economies grow” says Rickford, “this investment retains jobs in the region, and sends a signal to the world that northern Ontario is open for business.”

According to statistics from his office, the NOHFC has injected more than $120 million into 708 projects since June 2018.

They say that the investment has created or retained over 2,368 jobs.

donation3-1

Province Asked To Act And Help Save Fort Frances Mill

, , ,

Time is of the essence to act and get the idled Fort Frances Mill back to producing pulp and paper.

Unifor is calling on the provincial government to get involved and support the community and the forest industry.

Local National Representative Stephen Boon says there was a belief that Resolute Forest Products was being cooperative and was truly interested in selling the facility if the right buyer came out.

Boon says restrictions contained in a sale agreement to sell the mill to Riversedge Developments clearly restricts a buyer to produce pulp and paper, essentially killing the mill.

He adds the government can’t shame a company to do the right thing, but they can apply pressure.

“The province continues their wood licensing, the province controls their regulations, their road money going forward, wood consumption. All of those kind of things are controlled and obviously because of the loans that were forgiven, the province at the end of the day carries a big stick and can also work with Resolute to make it whole.”

Boon is urging the government to quickly intervene, noting re-starting the mill would see 600 direct jobs restored by next year.

“We’ve lost almost 15 permanent closures in the region in the last 15 years. The wood is there. To create a new mill from scratch is just not financially viable for most companies because it would be in the hundreds of millions of dollars if not billions of dollars.”

Boon notes Resolute has received millions of dollars from the province yet has rejected every proposal for renewed mill operations and instead sold the mill property to the re-purposing company.

Boon says once Riversedge Developments starts taking equipment out, that mill will be worth nothing.

He states there’s a growing movement towards producing brown paper, stressing the facility is perfectly fitted for that new reality.

Unifor says it shares the concerns of the people of Fort Frances over the poor outcomes experienced at some of Riversedge’s other former industrial properties, including the recent leaning toward a half-baked marijuana grow-op scheme.

To hear more from Stephen Boon, visit the Audio link below.

caul-1

Future Of Fort Frances Mill Unknown

, , ,

Still a lot of questions regarding the future of the mill in Fort Frances.

Mayor June Caul says it was at a meeting last week with officials from Riversedge Development that she learned of a finalized deal between it and Resolute Forest Products.

Caul says there’s been a lot of rumours, but still no clear understanding what’s to become of the property.

“We’re sitting here, hearing these things, but not absolutely sure whether deals have been made or deals have been completed or what’s going on.”

Caul stresses “We are still working hard to get this mill up and running in some capacity, because we do know that there are still people out there who have been interested and continue to be interested in making a deal so that the mill can restart.”

She says she’s reached out to Rainy River Packaging, a company that expressed interest in the mill earlier this year.

Caul adds she’s still remaining positive that whatever transpires will be good for the community and surrounding area.

 

Resolute-Forest-Products-fort-frances-mill-2018-e1552933927981-1

New Owner For Idled Fort Frances Mill

, , ,

Finally some progress with the idled Resolute mill in Fort Frances.

The municipality has found a new owner for the pulp and paper facility.

Town officials say the mill has been transferred to a company believed to be a subsidiary of Riversedge Development with interests from an unnamed local entity.

What becomes of the properties has not yet been revealed.

A release from the town says its goal is still to see operations restart that make use of local forest resources.

https://twitter.com/dwjudson/status/1150900299088977921

plt-ceo-800x450-2

Federal Funding For Forestry Program

, ,

The national charity Project Learning Tree Canada is thrilled to receive $4.4-million from the federal government so they help 500 students across the north get hands-on job experience.

President Kathy Abusow says they help students who may not have any job experience and face hurdles getting into the work force.

She says the funding will help teens who may need necessities like work boots, or a roof over their head, get into a job in the forest and conservation sectors.

Abusow says the goal is to spark an interest at a young age and help teens build a network to help them succeed in the industry.

She stress the green jobs program wouldn’t be possible without the financial backing of the federal government.