Western Forest Products mill in Nanaimo may move to Harmac site

Western Forest Products currently leases land from the Nanaimo Port Authority for its downtown mill. The mill has been closed for a year.

Talks are now underway that may see that downtown mill move to the site of the Harmac pulp mill that is located on 500 hectares of land at Duke Point. Then the mill could be set up as an employee-owned model similar to Harmac's.

The workers at the Western Forest Products mill are represented by the United Steelworkers, but the Harmac site is represented by the Pulp, Paper and Workers of Canada union.

Darrel Wong, president of the United Steelworkers Local 1-1937, which represents WFP's workers in Nanaimo, said there are a number of contentious issues that would have to be dealt with first, including union certification. He said that with all the issues involved there is only a "remote possibility" that the plan will move forward.

Arnold Bercov, president of the Pulp, Paper and Workers of Canada (PPWC), Local 8, which represents workers at Harmac, said the plan could see Western Forest Products supply the mill and remain a part of the management of the operation. Nanaimo Forest Products, who own Harmac, would supply the land for the mill and the workers would buy into the operation and become part owners.

If the project proceeds, the mill could also be a vital source of wood fibre for Harmac.

Bercov said the original plan called for moving Western Forest Products's closed Ladysmith mill (whose workers are represented by PPWC) to the Harmac site, but after discussions with WFP a decision was made to focus on WFP's downtown mill.

Read more:
Unions in talks to move Western Forest Products mill to Harmac site (Vancouver Sun)