THUNDER BAY – One of the city’s largest private sector employers is putting more than $50 million into its regional operations.
Resolute Forest Products on Thursday announced it will be investing $40 million into its Northwestern Ontario operations, plus another $13.5 million toward maintenance and job creation at its Thunder Bay pulp and paper mill.
“These initiatives are expected to create the annual production capacity of our facilities,” company president and chief executive officer Yves Laflamme said.
“We’ve now invested over $250 million in our Northwestern Ontario operations over the past several years, confirming once again our commitment to and the importance of our facilities in this region.”
The expansion, which is leading to the creation of 25 new full-time jobs, includes $14.7 million to improve energy efficiency, $9 million for pulp capacity expansion that will increase production by 40 tonnes per day, along with $5.6 million for the modernization of the planar line at Thunder Bay sawmill and $5.4 million to optimize Thunder Bay, Atikokan and Ignace sawmills.
Despite his government not providing any financial contribution, Ontario Premier Doug and Natural Resources and Forestry Minister Jeff Yurek were at the Thunder Bay mill to participate in the announcement.
Ford, who credited his frequently repeated pledge to make Ontario open for business as a driver for the company’s investment, said his visit was meant as a sign of support.
“We’re building a relationship and I think that’s what the most important thing is,” Ford said. “Showing up here and telling the people of the north that we’re behind them and Northern Ontario will be open for business and is open for business right now.
Laflamme said the company has a five-year plan for major investments that are looked when they go into a year, indicating the plans predate the election of Ford’s Progressive Conservative government.
“Most of those projects have already been started. Most of them are going to be done by the end of the year,” Laflamme said.
During his speech, Yurek channelled U.S. President Donald Trump while taking the previous Liberal government to task for the 2000s collapse of the forestry industry, which he said cost 51,000 jobs.
“We know the forestry industry is essential to create prosperity for this province, prosperity for Northern Ontario, prosperity for First Nations, prosperity for rural Ontario,” Yurek said.
“Our government was elected to make Ontario great again.”
