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Atlantic Forestry, Chips 'n' Slabs, July 2008

$34 million aid
The New Brunswick provincial government is expected to announce later this month a more than $34-million investment in Fraser Paper's pulp and sawmill operations. Natural Resources Minister Donald Arseneault said the money will bring much-needed upgrades to the firm's Plaster Rock sawmill and Edmundston pulpmill.

Biofuel firm eyes Miramichi properties
A Fredericton, N.B.-based firm, Arcadia EcoEnergies, is in negotiations with UPM-Kymmene to purchase the forestry giant's Miramichi properties and build a $1-billion biofuel refinery. The project, if given the go-ahead, would employ about 1,500 people in a refinery producing 20,000 barrels of biofuels per day. The company would transform UPM's groundwood pulpmill in Nelson into a recycling plant for disposed materials, including wood from dilapidated barns and used clothing. The recycling plant would produce pellets to fuel the refinery, which would be located at UPM's current Newcastle site.

$750-million loss
Canada's wood products industry is headed for a second straight year of $750-million losses, says the Conference Board of Canada. Pine beetles, biofuels driving up costs, and the U.S. housing collapse have combined to severely hurt the industry. "2007 will be remembered as one of the most difficult years for Canada's wood products industry, with business conditions resembling a bad horror movie," says Conference Board Economist Valerie Poulin.

Forestry reports on their way
Two reports on the future of the New Brunswick forestry industry are expected by the end of the summer. One of the two reports is being done by UNB researcher Thom Erdle on wood supply and the other is being done by Don Roberts of CIBC World Markets and covers the future markets for New Brunswick forest products. Natural Resources Minister Donald Arseneault said once the reports are released the province will be in a better position to take action to help the industry in the fall. In the meantime the government has been re-examining the way it calculates royalty rates on Crown wood.

Investing in the future
Comeau Lumber in Meteghan, N.S., has received a $350,000 loan from Nova Scotia's Industrial Expansion Fund to help it maintain the jobs of 60 employees. The century-old company produces quality lumber products that are used around the world and Economic Development Minister Angus MacIsaac says the loan is an investment in the company's continued success. It is also repayable, with interest, over two years. (NSBJ, June'08)

Brooklyn Power, business as usual
Officials at AbitibiBowater say the 22MW biomass electrical cogeneration facility directly across the street from the Mersey newsprint mill in Brooklyn, N.S., continues to operate at normal capacity following the company's acquisition of the Brooklyn Power Corporation and South Shore Power Services on April 22. Biomass for Brooklyn Power comes primarily from wood waste from the Mersey sawmill in Oakhill, Lunenburg Co., the paper mill, and other sawmills throughout western Nova Scotia. The plant continues to sell excess electricity to Nova Scotia Power at the same rate as before the sale.

Loonie eats profit
Paying for raw materials in Canadian dollars while selling the finished product in U.S. dollars has made it unprofitable for NewPage's Port Hawkesbury, N.S., mill to export paper to the United States, according to the company. The Canadian loonie has been steadily rising for some time. NewPage bought the mill last year as part of a deal to take over Stora Enso North America. (NSBJ, June'08)


CIF celebrates 100 years
The 100th annual general meeting and conference of the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) will take place in Fredericton from Sept. 7-10. Several hundred CIF members from around the region and across the country will make the trek to New Brunswick to celebrate a century of achievement in advancing forest science, promoting professional competency, positively influencing Canadian forest policy and practice and successfully networking forest professionals ­ both socially and in the sharing of knowledge and passion of our country's forests. With the University of New Brunswick's Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management also celebrating 100 years, it will undoubtedly be a birthday party to remember!
"There is tremendous excitement about this meeting and conference," said John Pineau, national executive director of the CIF. "Our Maritime Section has been working very hard with the university to put together a top-notch event with excellent speakers as well as a number of interesting field tours, and of course plenty of fun and entertainment."
The conference will include special guest speakers, technical presentations and discussions, the Institute's national awards banquet, several forestry field tours, and the much-anticipated launch of a rejuvenated Institute ­ a member-driven initiative that promises to prepare the CIF for its next 100 years.
"The conference kick-off on the evening of Sept. 7 will include an exciting forestry-student competition called a Quiz-Bowl, and the premiere of our 100th anniversary video," said Pineau. "The theme of the conference ­ Canada's Forests: Manage for Change ­ is proving to be very timely for all who are concerned with forest management, a changing forest sector, and the need to balance the social, environmental, and economic values of our forests. The conference theme, as always, is very relevant to what the CIF is all about."
A detailed agenda and early registration information is now available through the conference website (follow the CIF AGM 2008 link at www.AtlanticFarmer.com).






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