It has been a few days since news became public that Nackawic, N.B.’s pulp mill would be temporarily closing its operations come the end of October. Long-standing employees like Erin MacDonald say they are still trying to process the devasting blow. “Still in shock and processing a lot of emotions, a lot of things,” said MacDonald, who has worked at the mill for the past 19 years as a lab technologist. “Morale is down, and a lot of people have started to leave.” Late last week AV Group NB Inc., an affiliate of the India-based Aditya Birla Group, said it would temporarily idle its AV Nackawic facility by Nov. 4. The mill, located west of Fredericton, employees around 350 people, around 200 of which are represented by the local Unifor union. Tuesday night the union planned to meet with their effected workers to share what they know about the mill’s future and answer any questions about what comes next. MacDonald says she is hoping to learn more about how to apply for Employment Insurance (EI). “A lot of us, like myself, have not had to do a resume or be interviewed for a job in so many years,” MacDonald says. “This is going to be another whole process for us to do. It’s not the same as it was back when we learned how to do it in 1995.” At an announcement to celebrate a new collaborative care clinic in Hampton, N.B., Tuesday, Premier Susan Holt said she was meeting with her caucus later in the day and the Nackawic mill’s future is expected to be a central part of the conversations. “This is a huge impact on the community, on those workers and on a significant amount of our forestry sector,” the Premier says. “The team is working really hard to make sure we have explored every option, we have all the right supports on the table, and we can be there for that community through this tough time.” New Brunswick’s Natural Resources Minister John Herron says he is continuing to learn everything he can about the mill to help decide what it’s future may be. “We’re in the process of engaging at least one world leader with respect to doing an analysis of AV Nackawic,” Herron says. “These would be entities that do this for large forestry installations, whether it be pulp mills, pellet mills and the like.” MacDonald knows the likelihood of the mill being restored before it’s Nov. 4 closing date is unlikely, but she is holding out hope someone will recognize the value of the long-standing mill. “We do have a lot to offer with our chemical plant,” MacDonald says. “We make our own chemicals, we make our own chips, we’re central, and we’re close to the port. There are so many benefits of where our location is and a lot of local people have been hired in the last several years that want to work and stay and raise their families in the communities.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
