June 23, 2011 – Ontario's wood supply
competition is winding down, with a few more offers still to be accepted.
"I'm very pleased with the number and variety of accepted proposals, which
we hope will all mature into successful economic development
opportunities…" says Michael Gravelle, Ontario minister of northern
development, mines, and forestry. The latest three acceptances are by forestry
companies in northwestern Ontario.
AbitibiBowater Canada Inc. in Fort Frances
has accepted a wood supply offer of 317,500 cubic-metres/year of merchantable
and unmerchantable spruce, pine, fir, white birch, and poplar, which it will
use to increase pulp and paper production to previous levels and to generate
power at the mill.
In Kenora, Weyerhaeuser Company Limited has
accepted an offer of 72,000 cubic-metres/year of merchantable white birch and
poplar, which it will use to increase production at its laminated strand lumber
plant. In addition, Wincrief Forestry Products has accepted an offer of 17,000
cubic-metres/year of merchantable spruce, pine, and fir. It plans to build a
plant to manufacture utility poles at its modular housing plant.
"This announcement secures the fibre
needed to rebuild our forest industry in Kenora. We plan to turn the old
Abitibi site into a new value-added cluster of forest-based businesses,"
says Dave Canfield, mayor of Kenora.
The 34 wood supply offers accepted to date will put to use a total of 4,762,800
cubic-metres/year of wood.
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