The largest project a national charity has ever done is underway right now in Thunder Bay.
Habitat for Humanity is salvaging a building at the now-defunct Northern Sawmill. The building was donated by Global Recycling and Recovery, a Winnipeg company that purchased a majority of the mill's equipment and buildings during an auction in September.
The salvaged material will be sold at Habitat for Humanity’s local Restore.
“Which lowers our costs to be able to build more homes for families in need in Thunder Bay,” Habitat for Humanity Thunder Bay CEO Diane Mitchell said.
Along with Habitat volunteers, the salvage work is being done with the help of John Howard Society volunteers.
Restore’s Keith MacMillan, who is heading up the salvage, said the building could be completely dismantled by early next week. So far workers have salvaged fence boards, insulation, two-by-fours and plywood which could fetch as much as $40,000 for the store.
Materials are being sold almost as quickly as they get to the Habitat store he said.
“People are selling right off the trailer which is a good thing,” MacMillan said.
Global Recycling president Jim Boultilier said he’s so impressed with the work Habitat for Humanity has done, he’s donating another two buildings on the site to the charity. And he’s issuing a challenge for demolition companies across Canada to make similar donations.
“I think that you would find Habitat for Humanity would be kept very busy, the John Howard Society would be exceptionally busy and houses going up for the poor would be very well addressed,” he said.
