As the pending idling of the AV Nackawic mill looms over much of New Brunswick, the province’s biggest port is already feeling the effects. Port Saint John president and CEO Craig Bell Estabrooks says the mill’s closure is a big economic blow to the province. “They represent about eight to 10 per cent of our containerized traffic, and upwards of 15 to 20 per cent of the export containers that are coming out of the port,” says Bell Estabrooks. “It’s a really big piece of our volume, and historically, it means much more than that because it was the anchor volume that brought a lot of our early container traffic pre-modernization here. “It’s just been a really, really important New Brunswick export over the last number of years and decades.” Bell Estabrooks says the pending closure of the mill has already impacted the port’s overall container volumes. He says the containers arrived at the port already pre-packed with a range of different forestry products that go to markets overseas and in South America. With potentially a fifth of the port’s container business about to be gone, the port president says his team has been reaching out to container lines and other businesses in the province to see how the port could push their product. He says there will be no layoffs anywhere at the port as a result of the mill closure. “While containers are down slightly after five years of kind of massive growth, our break bulk business is up,” says Bell Estabrooks. “Our bulk business is up with potash exports, our private facilities/liquid bulk is up five percent, and our cruise business is steady heading towards some big years coming. So, our business is really solid overall.” Bell Estabrooks hopes to see the port grow with Canada’s defence sector. He plans to learn more about the role Saint John could play at the DEFSEC Atlantic 2026 meetings in Halifax this week. Union update It has been almost three weeks since the AV Group NB Inc. announced the Nackawic mill would be “temporarily idling” come the end of the month. The mill employs around 350 people, about half of whom belong to the local Unifor 219 union. Speaking with CTV Atlantic Tuesday, Unifor 219 president Grant Charlton, who is also a chemical plant operator at the mill, says they still haven’t heard anything more from the company since the news broke mid-September. “We have not received further information as far as future opportunities for the mill or what discussions are ongoing,” Charlton says. “As far as an intermediary, we would really like to see the mill be at least heated for the winter to protect the asset from damage from the cold weather, etc. They haven’t been receptive to that opportunity.” Charlton says the past few weeks have been very busy as the union works to advocate for the workers who will soon be without a job. He says a job fair will be held in Nackawic from Oct. 19 to 21, which Charlton says several employers have expressed interest in. While he notes employment insurance (EI) is helpful in the short term for impacted mill workers, the best thing for staff is to quickly find another job. “A lot of our skilled trades people have been receiving calls trying to recruit them, so they’re less concerned about job opportunities and maybe [more focused on] finding the right fit,” Charlton says. “Whereas some of the operational people that don’t have trades are, I think, a little less optimistic in that way.” The union continues to work with the province for what comes next following the mill’s pending closure. He’s aware the mill does need some repairs if it is to ever reopen under new management but believes now is not the time to write off the important provincial asset. “With the right investor who’s willing to put the money in in partnership with the government, I do believe there’s potential there,” Charlton says. “I don’t want to give people false hope. That’s not something that’s in the near term necessarily, but that is something that we’re still advocating for.” Charlton also says a number of union members are planning to take part in a national Forestry Day of Action being held across the country on Oct. 16. Plans in the Nackawic area include a march and rally beginning at the Nackawic Public Library and ending at the Big Axe. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
