Last year, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said the region could be the home for a new kraft pulp mill. According to Frequencynews, Domtar said in a statement that it’s in the final stages of a feasibility study into a new mill.
The public announcement of the project is expected in the first quarter of 2025, ahead of a court hearing scheduled for March.
According to Paper Advance citing “some experts”, if the project goes ahead, it would mark the first creation of a new market pulp mill in North America in decades.
Domtar is a major privately held company that manufactures various forest products and employs some 14,000 people in more than 60 facilities across North America.
The pulp project has its roots in the agreement between Paper Excellence and the provincial government of Nova Scotia following the closure of the Northern Pulp mill in 2020.
Domtar's feasibility study, which now nears completion, assesses key elements such as construction costs, wood prices, and market potential for pulp and other bioproducts. These elements will decide whether the project can move forward.