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The Kingsport Mill was awarded Tennessee’s “Business Recycler of the Year.” Here’s why the Tennessee Recycling Coalition chose our facility as its 2024 winner.
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The Kingsport Mill was awarded Tennessee’s “Business Recycler of the Year.” Here’s why the Tennessee Recycling Coalition chose our facility as its 2024 winner.
Paper Excellence Once Again Amongst Corporate Knights Best 50 Corporate Citizens
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Paper Excellence today announced it has once again been voted one of Canada’s 2022 Best 50 corporate citizens by Corporate Knights. This is the fifteenth time that the company has achieved the Best 50 Award with Corporate Knights. Paper Excellence operates six pulp and paper facilities in British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
The Best 50 award is judged using key performance indicators that relate to the organization’s raw resource use, emissions profile, social performance, safety performance, and percentage of revenue from clean sources.
“Receiving this award again from Corporate Knights is a tremendous honour, and really speaks to the work Paper Excellence employees do to keep our operations sustainable and environmentally friendly,” said Graham Kissack, VP of EHS & Corporate Communications for Paper Excellence Canada.
85% of Paper Excellence’s total energy use was renewable in 2021, and the company has continued to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions—now down by 66% since 1990. Paper Excellence’s products are certified to numerous independent sustainable forestry standards including the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
Further information about Paper Excellence’s corporate responsibility can be found in the recently released 2021 Sustainability report.
Further information on the Corporate Knights Best 50 Award program can be found here.
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Media Contact: media@paperexcellence.com
Graham Kissack, VP, EHS and Communications
Mobile – (250) 732-7991
Paper Excellence Partners With Vancouver Island University To Create Indigenous Success Fund
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Paper Excellence announced today that it has partnered with Vancouver Island University (VIU) to create a new scholarship fund that aims to financially support Indigenous students enrolled in trades programs at VIU. Paper Excellence has contributed $60,000 to the fund, which will be distributed over three years.
“On behalf of Paper Excellence, we are very excited to be working with VIU on the Paper Excellence Indigenous Success Fund to support Indigenous students in British Columbia,” said Graham Kissack, Vice President, EHS & Corporate Communications for Paper Excellence. “It’s our pleasure to help make the experience at VIU just a little bit easier financially and want to wish the recipients of the fund all the best in their studies and future careers.”
Indigenous trades students will be eligible to receive up to $2,000 each academic year through the fund, which began disbursements to students in January 2022.
“VIU thanks Paper Excellence for this generous gift. This gift will support students who are on the verge of not being able to continue their studies due to financial constraints. Paper Excellence is supporting students when they need it the most,” said Richard Horbachewski, Executive Director of the VIU Foundation. “These scholarships offer support in a timely and effective manner, so students don’t have to put their dreams on pause when personal circumstances throw barriers in their path.”
The Paper Excellence Indigenous Success Fund at VIU is one of several scholarship and bursary funds Paper Excellence has supported at post–secondary institutions around Canada, along with similar partnerships at College of the Rockies, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology.
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Vancouver Island University (VIU), located on the west coast of Canada, is one of Canada’s most inclusive universities. We place students and communities at the centre of our work, recognizing that education is a key determinant of social progress and economic prosperity. Our unique student experience includes small class sizes; dedicated, award-winning faculty; and exceptional undergraduate research opportunities that are often conducted in collaboration with our many community partners. We also offer a wide variety of educational options and starting points, including upgrading, trades, undergraduate and graduate programs, to support the varied educational needs of both our domestic and international students.
Media Contact: media@paperexcellence.com
Graham Kissack, VP, EHS and Corporate Communications
Mobile: (250) 732-7991
Jenn McGarrigle, Manager, External Communications
Mobile: (250) 619-6860
Paper Excellence Donates $10,000 To College Of The Rockies For Indigenous Student Bursaries
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Paper Excellence announced today that it has donated a total of $10,000 towards two separate bursary funds that support Indigenous students at the College of the Rockies (COTR). Paper Excellence has provided $5,000 towards the Agnes McCoy Memorial Bursary, and $5,000 to the Engineers Canada Indigenous Access to Engineering Bursary.
“On behalf of Paper Excellence, it’s a real privilege to support these two bursary programs at College of the Rockies and the students that will benefit as a result,” said Graham Kissack, Vice President EHS & Corporate Communications for Paper Excellence.
The Agnes McCoy Memorial Bursary was created in honour of the late Agnes McCoy, an elected Ktunaxa Chief and respected elder from ?aqam. The bursary is awarded to an Indigenous student at COTR who has shown dedication to their studies and has demonstrated the preservation of their First Nations culture and values.
The Engineers Canada Indigenous Access to Engineering Bursary was created by Russ Kinghorn, a past-president of Engineers Canada, and was established to support Indigenous people in engineering where they are currently underrepresented.
“College of the Rockies supports and respects the Indigenous communities upon whose lands we learn, work, and reside and we are constantly seeking new ways to support the development of our community,” said Deborah Carty, Vice President External Relations. “This includes supporting our Indigenous learners. We’re grateful to Paper Excellence for their generous contribution which will help to make post-secondary education more accessible for Indigenous students.”
Paper Excellence has recently supported several scholarship funds and bursaries at postsecondary institutions, including partnerships with Vancouver Island University, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies.
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
For more than 45 years, College of the Rockies has provided post-secondary education that meets the needs and aspirations of the people, industry, and businesses of our region. Each year, we welcome more than 10,000 full-time and part-time students into a full range of programs, including: skilled trades, university studies, adult upgrading, early childhood education, health and human services, business, office administration, tourism, hospitality, recreation, fire services, continuing education, and contract training. Through smaller class sizes, highly personalized instruction and dedicated support services, our students are primed to succeed in the job market, or in the next stage of their academic journey.
Media Contact:
Graham Kissack, VP, EHS and Corporate Communications
Mobile: (250) 732-7991
Heather Jackson
Manager, Communications and Marketing
College of the Rockies
250-489-8258
jackson@cotr.bc.ca
Paper Excellence Receives $4.5 Million In Funding From The Investments In Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) Program
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Paper Excellence is pleased to have received $4.5 million from the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT) program. This funding will help support an important transformation project taking place at our Catalyst Port Alberni mill.The $4.5 million will be invested at Catalyst Port Alberni to expand the mill’s production capacity for food packaging papers. Traditionally, this mill produced printing and writing grades; however, demand for these products has been in steady decline. Transitioning to food grade papers means meeting growing market demand, providing sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic serving containers, and advancing BC’s circular economy.
The new grades will be produced using unique pulping capabilities developed at the Catalyst Port Alberni mill that net a higher yield in fiber use. As a result, the mill will be able to increase the amount of food packaging materials it produces but will use less residual wood fibre to do so.
IFIT is a federal program that provides capital funding to support transformative projects by forest sector firms to diversify into new product streams and implement innovative process improvements to ensure industry competitiveness.
“This funding from IFIT will help Paper Excellence achieve our vision for modernizing our paper production on BC’s coast,” said Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications. “We are proud to be producing sustainable, value-added forest products that will meet the market demands of the future.”
Catalyst Port Alberni employs 310 full time people on Vancouver Island, supports 800 indirect jobs in BC, and makes an economic contribution of $500 million annually.
Quotes:
The Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources
“Finding alternatives to traditional, unsustainable packaging in every sector is an import part of our efforts to cut waste, reduce pollution, and protect natural habitats. The federal government is committed to growing the circular economy – we have already banned many harmful single use plastics – and are pleased to see the Catalyst Port Alberni mill transition to producing food grade paper that will serve to further displace single use materials. Congratulations to Catalyst Port Alberni and Paper Excellence on this exciting step towards a more sustainable future.”
The $4.5 million is being invested at Catalyst Port Alberni to expand the mill’s production capacity for food packaging papers to meet growing market demand, provide sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic serving containers, and advance BC’s circular economy.
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Media Contact: Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications | media@paperexcellence.com | Mobile: 250-732-7991
Paper Excellence Canada Publishes Sustainability Report
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Today Paper Excellence Canada has published its second sustainability report: Building Strong Relationships.
Building Strong Relationships reviews 2021 and looks at both our achievements and our opportunities to do better. In particular, it highlights the work we did in building relationships with the Indigenous communities in whose traditional territories we operate and our corporate giving campaign which had a greatly increased budget in 2021.
The report also looks at our environmental and economic impacts nationally and on a mill-by-mill basis. From an environmental standpoint, 85% of our total energy use was renewable in 2021 and we have continued to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions—now down by 66% since 1990. From an economic perspective, the total economic activity created by Paper Excellence Canada operations was $4.8 billion.
“Paper Excellence Canada’s spent this last year putting our words into action and I’m proud of what we have achieved,” said Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications. “Our vision is to be a profitable, sustainable, and globally competitive fibre products provider that is environmentally and economically beneficial to all stakeholders and this year’s achievements have supported us in that aim.”
“We know numbers and charts aren’t for everyone, so we’ve also highlighted 11 different “Practices and Perspectives” stories throughout the report—some written, some video,” said Kissack. “These stories are linked to our website via QR codes and will give readers on-the-ground insight into our work on things like achieving 100% utilization of harvested forest fibre through an Indigenous partnership and supporting a local salmon hatchery through a hot summer.”
The full sustainability report and the “Practices and Perspectives” stories can be found on the Paper Excellence website. The report is available as a hardcopy report, an online document and a downloadable PDF: Sustainability Report – Paper Excellence.
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Media Contact: Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications | media@paperexcellence.com | Mobile: 250-732-7991
Indigenous Industry Participation Expands
Practices and Perspectives
Paper Excellence established a large-scale fibre-supply arrangement with a First Nations partner in 2021, through its acquisition of an interest in the Atli Chip Limited Partnership. Atli Chip has purchased and now operates a wood chipping facility on Northern Vancouver Island, in ‘Namgis First Nation’s traditional territory.
Atli Chip is majority owned by Atli Resources LP, a forest company beneficially owned by the ‘Namgis. Island-based Wahkash Contracting Ltd. specializes in remote coastal logging – the kind of operations that supply wood to Atli Chip – and like Paper Excellence it also holds a direct minority ownership stake in Atli Chip.
Paper Excellence has contracted to purchase all of Atli Chip’s wood chip and biomass fuel production. The participants in this arrangement will also collaborate to improve wood utilization in areas harvested to supply Atli Chip – ensuring more of it gets to the chipping facility – and to expand Indigenous participation in the resulting economic opportunities.
“We are very excited about the opportunity for Atli Chip Limited Partnership to take over operations of this facility to meet the growing needs of the industry and to acquire a business that we believe will have long-term economic and environmental benefits for the ‘Namgis people and the North Island as a whole.” – ‘Namgis Chief Councilor Don Svanvik
Paper Excellence Announces Stew Gibson’s Promotion To Chief Operating Officer
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Paper Excellence is pleased to announce the leadership promotion of Mr. Stew Gibson to the role of Chief Operating Officer for Paper Excellence Canada.
In the fourth decade of his career, Stew has worked within Catalyst Paper and its predecessors holding numerous positions including General Manager of Powell River, Vice President of Technology and Sourcing, and Vice President of Pulp Operations. He has also held a role in the solid wood sector. He has a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, a master’s degree in Pulp & Paper Engineering, and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. He is also a registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia.
Stew plans to continue focusing his leadership on driving the adaptation of our pulp and paper operations to markets that value the low carbon, renewable bio-products that we manufacture in Canada. He has been a strong advocate for our mills in British Columbia and Saskatchewan and we look forward to his continued leadership.
Stew Gibson, Chief Operating Officer, Paper Excellence Canada
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Media Contact: Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications | media@paperexcellence.com | Mobile: 250-732-7991
Meet Sasha Irving, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Northern Pulp
How did you come to work at Paper Excellence?
As a consultant I was doing work with the forestry sector in Nova Scotia including some work with Northern Pulp when the job opportunity presented itself. I’m thrilled to have taken on this new role in Nova Scotia.
What drew you to sustainability work and why do you like it?
I’ve been working with the Nova Scotia forestry sector for a while and understand the important role the sector plays in the province and in particular our rural economies. I appreciate the critical importance of a central pulp mill to a healthy sustainable forestry sector in this province and the role of sustainability to a healthy province. Anything I can do to contribute to sustainability feels meaningful to me.
Why do you like your job and what are you responsible for?
I oversee communications and government relations for Paper Excellence in Nova Scotia. I love my job because it provides me with the opportunity to continue to work in the sector and work with fantastic smart people throughout the country. I truly believe that at this point in time there is no greater challenge in Nova Scotia than the transformation of the Northern Pulp mill and I was really excited to join the team that will transform it into one of the cleanest mills in North America.
What challenges do you face in your work because you’re a woman?
I’ve always worked in male dominated sectors which has meant learning to navigate and build a career on those terms. There are challenges with any job but I think they can be overcome with hard work. While things today are not perfect, I do feel like the barriers for women have lessened over time and the best thing any of us can do is help each other to succeed.
What would you tell girls who are thinking about a career similar to yours?
I would simply say do it! I came into my first role in communications with an interest but not a lot of experience. I learned as I went, I sought out women who could help me succeed and I took risks. There is no absolute right or wrong answer in this business but if you work hard, build on your experience, and trust your gut you will find success.
Meet Diane Gladman, Number 2 Backtender At Catalyst Crofton
Diane Gladman was profiled on the Forestry Friendly Communities website earlier this month. As March wraps up, we wanted to share Diane’s full profile here. Diane is a great example of a multi-generational forestry family who is currently living the industry’s sustainability story.
In your role, what are your responsibilities? What does your typical day look like?
I’ve worked the Crofton mill for 22 years and have worked my way up through the mill. Right now, I take care the dry end of the pulp machine. The goal is to get the pulp sheet through the drier, cut into bales, weighed, wrapped, stacked and out to the warehouse to by unitized with as few problems as possible.
I am constantly assessing the pulp machine and looking for issues. When something goes wrong, I need to work with my crew to identify the issue. Then we either troubleshoot it ourselves or identify who we need to call in to fix the issue.
I’m also responsible for adjusting the steam system when the pulp machine changes speeds and I do the quality control testing to ensure the pulp meets our customers’ standards. In those tests I’m looking for brightness, density and contaminates like dirt or plastic.
How did you get your start in forestry?
My family has been involved in forestry on Vancouver Island for four generations. My great grandparents had a phone and owned the last house on the road to the logging camp outside Courtenay. People used to come out of the camp to use their phone and my grandparents took messages for the camp. My grandparents sold dynamite to logging contractors. One of my uncles worked at Crofton when the mill originally opened in 1957. My dad and my brother both delivered wood chips to the Crofton mill as truck drivers. These days, my brother drives a logging truck.
My dad passed away just as I was starting my career, but it was working with him on his backyard mechanic projects when I was kid that first developed my mechanical skills. Originally, I trained as a plumber and moved to Vancouver to work for BC Gas. After a while, I wanted to move back home to the Island to raise my family. But I still wanted a job that paid well, and I wanted to stay in an industrial environment. So, I sent my resume to the mill and got hired.
What do you love about your job?
I love working as part of a crew. Generally, there are eight people on a crew. When there’s a problem with the pulp machine, everyone pitches in to troubleshoot it. I’ve met some really cool people over the years through working on crews.
I also enjoy the shift work. I work four days on (two days, two nights) followed by four days off. So, if I take four days of vacation, I get 12 days off. And there’s also the money, benefits, pension plan which are important to me.
What work-related accomplishments are you most proud of?
I am very proud of my involvement in safety and training at the mill. My son is a videographer and he and I made of bunch of safety and training videos that the mill still uses. Once you’re in the mill, it’s so loud that it’s hard to explain to people what’s happening. Being able to show employees a video of a running pulp machine and the issues that arise is a big help. My son and I left a legacy there.
What excites you about your future in this industry?
The history—my family has been involved in this industry for such a long time. And the future—this industry has such a great sustainability story.
What advice would you give to women who might be considering a career in forestry?
I’d give this advice to anyone, not just women. Really find out what you’re getting yourself into. The mill is loud and humid, and the shifts are 12 hours long. It can also be scary being around big machinery all the time—you always need to be aware of your surroundings. That said, I encourage women to get involved in any trade. When you fix something or figure something out, there’s a great feeling of accomplishment. I’ve had lots of moments where I’ve solved a problem and felt, “Yeah, I can do this!”
What’s you perspective on sustainability in the industry?
Between my brother and me, we are living forestry’s sustainable, value-added, circular economy. My brother owns a logging truck with a self-loader. He hauls the logs from the cutblock to the sawmill. The sawmill makes lumber and then sells its waste (bark and wood chips) to the pulp & paper mill just down the highway. With those two waste products, I help produce one of the two value-added forest products the Crofton mill makes – pulp and paper.
Paper Excellence Expresses Hope For Speedy End To CP Rail Dispute
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Paper Excellence today announced it hopes for a speedy end to the CP Rail labour dispute which will begin to impact Skookumchuck Pulp Inc., Paper Excellence’s mill located in the East Kootenays.
Global logistics have been incredibly challenging for the company during the pandemic and the additional impacts from devastating wildfires and flood events in BC last year made the situation ever more difficult. The CP Rail strike will further disrupt and impact Skookumchuck Pulp mill. PE respects the collective bargaining process. However, the company is concerned that a protracted disruption in rail service would impact the operation of our mill and employment in the rural communities that support our operation.
The Skookumchuck mill, which employs 280 people and infuses over $1 million daily into Canada’s economy, is highly dependent on rail service to get finished pulp to the coast of British Columbia. Paper Excellence remains committed to servicing our customers’ needs during this interruption.
To learn more about Skookumchuck Pulp mill, please watch the mill video or download the fact sheet: Skookumchuck Pulp Mill | British Columbia | Paper Excellence
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Media Contact: Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications | media@paperexcellence.com | Mobile: 250-732-7991
Celebrating International Women’s Day With Sabrina De Branco
As part of our International Women’s Day celebrations, we’re pleased to introduce Sabrina de Branco, Vice President of Global Sustainability.
How did you come to work at Paper Excellence?
I have been working in the pulp and paper sector for nine years and within sustainability for 14 years. In 2021, Paper Excellence Group invited me to contribute to the development of its global sustainability strategy, so that the Group’s companies are prepared for the challenges that are emerging and can guarantee the continuity of their operations with quality and responsibility in the long term.
What drew you to sustainability work and why do you like it?
I am a journalist and my work has always been very focused on people. In 2008, I started working with community development projects and saw the important role that companies can play in supporting the communities where they operate. I fell in love with the work and started to study it more. My work in sustainability has also helped me to understand corporate governance. Today, sustainability is a strategic and fundamental area for companies that care about their future, and I have the pleasure of being a part of that.
Why do you like your job and what are you responsible for?
I am responsible for making sustainability a strategic part of the business. For that, I need to work with different teams to analyze potential risks to the business and develop projects that can support operational success in the long term. Why do I like this? Because it gives me the opportunity to get to know the operations as a whole and work with different people from across the company.
What challenges do you face in your work because you’re a woman?
The pulp and paper sector still has mostly men, especially in its leadership. But rather than seeing that as a problem, I prefer to treat it as a driver. Women look up to other women. So it’s important to be a good role model and focus on our strengths. For example, I was the first woman to lead a pulp and paper industry union in Brazil and I did so while pregnant. We—women—are not victims of society. We are extremely capable and have unique abilities.
What would you tell girls who are thinking about a career similar to yours?
The area of sustainability has never been so relevant for companies globally. In addition to being an extremely dynamic area where I’m always learning, it is an area that requires professionals to be passionate about what they do. Today, there are many courses available and it is still possible to specialize in certain topics within this great universe of sustainability.
Paper Excellence Thanks Government Of Saskatchewan For Support On Railway Service Issue At Meadow Lake
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – On February 11, Paper Excellence first publicly raised serious concerns about poor rail service provided by CN Rail. Full CN rail service is critical to moving products from Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp mill to global markets. While rail service has not yet improved, Paper Excellence has appreciated the recent advocacy the Saskatchewan government has undertaken with the federal government and the Minister of Transport, Minister Alghabra. Specifically, Minister Fred Bradshaw has written a strong letter to Minister Alghabra that raises the rail challenges we, and many other industries, continue to face, and we would like to thank the Minister for doing that.
Saskatchewan’s economy relies significantly on rail companies to transport goods to market, and we look forward to the government’s continued support in rectifying, as soon as possible, the ongoing lack of CN rail service that continues to negatively impact our business operations.
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
Media Contact: Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications | media@paperexcellence.com | Mobile: 250-732-7991
Meadow Lake Tribal Council Joins Paper Excellence’s Call For CN To Provide More Rail Cars
For Immediate Release:
[Richmond, BC] – Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) joined Paper Excellence today in calling on CN to provide more rail cars for Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Inc.
The pulp mill is dependent on CN, which has failed to adequately transport Meadow Lake mill’s product to ports for months. After exhausting all local storage facilities,
Paper Excellence leadership announced a further production slowdown due to the lack of rail service on February 11th. The mill has not operated at full capacity since December.
Currently, CN continues to provide less than 40% of requested rail cars and now the mill has had to resort to participating in a CN auction process that drives up prices for the few cars that are available.
Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp employs 190 people and contributes over $1 million daily into Canada’s economy. The mill is also an equal partner in Mistik Management Ltd. (Mistik) that holds the provincial Forest Management Agreement for the area. Mistik is an equal partnership between Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp and NorSask Forest Products, which is owned by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council. For more information about Mistik Management Ltd, read this Practices and Perspectives story from our current sustainability report.
“MLTC has been a long-term business partner of the Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp mill since 1989. Our business partnership with the Meadow Lake pulp mill provides sustained employment and financial benefits, resulting in increased opportunity, well-being, and overall prosperity for our First Nation membership. We encourage CN to immediately provide better rail service for Meadow Lake Mechanical Pulp Mill. Any negative business impact to our long-term partner can translate into negative impacts on employment opportunities affecting our communities and overall business sustainability,” said MLTC Tribal Chief Richard Ben.
“700 local jobs are dependent on the local supply chain for this mill, and many of those jobs are held by members of local Indigenous communities,” said Graham Kissack, Vice President Environment, Health & Safety, and Corporate Communications. “Our partnerships with Indigenous businesses in and around the Meadow Lake community has been a success story we are proud of. However, the profitability of the mill and its forestry providers hinges on running at full capacity and getting our product to market. This can only happen if CN provides proper rail service.”
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Paper Excellence, headquartered in British Columbia, is a diversified manufacturer of pulp and specialty, printing, writing, and packaging papers. The company operates seven mills and a large-scale cargo distribution centre in Canada producing and shipping over 2.8 million tonnes annually with a workforce of more than 2,800. Paper Excellence is poised to continue to grow with its strategy of operational excellence and high-quality, cost-effective products.
The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) is focused on producing successful economic development through business investment and growth. MLTC directly maintains the four wholly-owned companies NorSask Forest Products, NorthWind Forest Products, MLTC Bioenergy Centre (Spring 2022) and the MLTC Solar Farm (Spring 2022). The Meadow Lake Tribal Council has been active for over 40 years and have used their economic development corporations to make the most of available resources and contribute to the ongoing development and success of its nine First Nations.
Media Contacts:
Graham Kissack, Vice President, Environment, Health & Safety and Corporate Communications, Paper Excellence | media@paperexcellence.com | Mobile: (250) 732-7991
Al Balisky, President & CEO, MLTC Industrial Investments LP | al.balisky@mltcii.com | Mobile: 306-236-7453
