Tag Archives: Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has released a report that summarizes what Nova Scotians said are the best ways to use the 1.5-million acres of Crown land in the province’s western region to ensure sustainable economic, social and environmental benefits for communities.

The report summarizes comments received at nine open-house consultations in March and April, at stakeholder meetings, and through online submissions.

“The responses we’ve heard confirm that Nova Scotians are passionate about land use,” said Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker. “Overall, Nova Scotians have told us that they want to be involved in managing their land, that long-term environmental, social and economic sustainability is vital, and that they recognize different land uses need to be balanced.”

The report summarizes attendance and overall public response:

• about 676 people attended the public open houses
• 66 people (representing 57 stakeholder groups) attended stakeholder meetings
• 166 people submitted ideas online
• 44 separate submissions were received through other channels

The key themes from the submissions and stakeholder focus groups are drawn together in the summary report. The comments will help develop a sustainable plan for the land, which includes lands purchased from Bowater Mersey Ltd.

The report outlines the most prominent issues for stakeholders, including:

• tourism and recreation
• forestry
• vehicular access
• sustainability
• protection
• resource extraction
• continuing consultation and engagement processes

The final land and resource management plan for the western Crown land plan will include sustainable forestry management, as described in the province’s natural resources strategy, The Path We Share. It will also meet new policies and guidelines for better forest management.

The summary report is available at: http://novascotia.ca/natr/land/western-land .

No new brown spruce longhorn beetles have been found in New Brunswick since the single adult beetle was found in Kouchibouguac National Park in 2011.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will continue to monitor about 200 traps across New Brunswick.

There is still an infestation in Nova Scotia. There are restrictions in place to contain and restrict the movement of spruce materials leaving Nova Scotia.

The CFIA suspects the beetle found in New Brunswick was transported on firewood.

Source:
Tree-killing beetle leaves New Brunswick (CBC)

Nova Scotia author Libby Broadbent has written a novel about life in a forestry town after the mill closes.

ForestTalk asked Libby to describe her book for us:

I am a high school teacher and author living in Liverpool, NS where it has been almost a full year since Resolute Forest Products shut our Bowater Paper Mill. It’s been tough, but we’re still kicking, because that’s what we do here in Nova Scotia. Big corporations pull the plug on industries we have relied on for decades, hundreds of people are suddenly jobless, the oil sands beckon our men away… but we still laugh, we still pay our bills, and sometimes we enjoy a little karaoke on the weekends.

Last spring my man and I were barbequing deer steak on the deck, talking about what kinds of jobs he and most of our friends would be able to find in the coming months. We were having the conversation that many families were having: where to find work? What to do with the severance? What about the pensions? And that’s when it hit me. Boom. The plot for a novel.

“Indefinitely Idled” was born. Hal Stevens has lost his job of twenty three years when the local mill shuts. His wife is a nightmare. His daughter is struggling with her self-image. His mother has Alzheimer’s. Then the lesbian shows up. She’s a financial planner from Toronto, hired to help the guys sort out the financial tangles, but she has a broken heart and an alcohol problem. There’s a divorced bed and breakfast owner with a dying cat. A guy who thinks he buried his wife in his back yard. And a Korean foreign exchange student.

And of course, karaoke.

“Indefinitely Idled” is both poignant and comical, serious and lighthearted. It is not a political rant, nor is it a slander of the companies that abandon our small towns. It is a fictional mill, in a fictional town. It’s a story of a family facing difficult times, in typical Nova Scotia fashion, with road kill and bad weather and beer. Published this April, “Indefinitely Idled” is available in print and for kindle on amazon.com. The book launch will take place on Thursday, May 9th at 7pm in Liverpool, NS, at “Spirits on the Mersey”, the local bar previously called Alley Nine.

I’m writing this article for ForestTalk because the forum comments on this site became part of our conversations last spring as the Bowater Mill went through its convoluted shut procedures. Emotions were running high, and I was inspired by the eloquence of the people posting their thoughts and reactions to this challenging event. The resilience and work ethic of the people in this town deserves recognition. I hope my novel does that.

So many of our friends have taken jobs out west… two weeks on, two weeks off… big money, maybe, but also big upheavals to their lives. These are men and women who have faced a bleak reality with grit and determination, and are making the most of a bad situation without uprooting their families and abandoning the communities they have called home for most of their lives. That is Nova Scotian resilience, something that no big corporation can shut down.

I’m proud to say that my small town is shrugging off the heavy cloud of our mill shut. Things aren’t easy, that’s for sure, but we have new businesses opening, we host incredible cultural events, our tourism industry is alive and well. And we continue to laugh at ourselves, and complain about the weather. We’re Nova Scotians, after all. We’re survivors.

~Libby Broadbent

Learn more:

• Indefinitely Idled by Libby Broadbent
• Libby Broadbent on amazon.com
• www.libbybroadbent.com

Truckers are refusing to deliver wood to Port Hawkesbury Paper, in Nova Scotia.

The truckers claim the mill is refusing to negotiate with their Northeastern Pulp Truckers Association.  Rates are down about 15% from the previous mill operator, NewPage Port Hawkesbury.

Only a 5 day supply of wood remains at the mill.

At 10am this morning the mill’s woodland manager entered into emergency negotiations with the trucking association.

By noon the dispute was not settled.  Both sides are meeting again this afternoon.

Read more:
Truckers halt pulpwood delivery to Point Tupper mill (The Chronicle Herald)
Truckers protest outside Cape Breton paper mill (CBC)
Truckers meet with Port Hawkesbury Paper (Cape Breton Post)

Prince Edward Island

In PEI, fire officials are battling a major forest fire on the Friston Road near Pleasant Grove and Covehead area.

The fire started this afternoon and quickly spread. Strong southwesterly winds have turned the fire into a crown fire.

By 6pm local time, the fire was 10 acres in size. The area is heavily wooded and difficult for firemen to attack.

The fire appears to be suspicious in nature. A second fire, smaller in size, broke out near by, and firefighters report an earlier fire was extinguished earlier this week.

The forest fire index was increased to high across the province on Monday.

Read more:
BREAKING: ‘Major’ fire burning woods near Pleasant Grove (The Guardian)

Nova Scotia

In Nova Scotia, firefighters are battling a forest fire on Lansdowne Road in Digby County.  2 helicopters are helping fight the blaze.

2 homes were at risk earlier, but have been spared.

More info:
Fire crews battle Digby County forest fire (CBC)

British Columbia

As of this morning, the Spatsum Creek wildfire (10 km south of Ashcroft) is now 240 hectares in size.

Sustained-action crews, helicopters and airtankers worked hard attacking the fire yesterday.

Today, approximately 60 fire fighters, three helicopters and airtankers were set to action the fire.

The Spatsum Creek wildfire started on April 27. Last week crews created hand-guards where it was safe to do so; however, this wildfire is burning in some challenging steep and rocky terrain. With high temperatures and low relative humidity, the fire passed a threshold late Sunday afternoon and additional personnel responded.

Read more:
Increased activity on Spatsum Creek wildfire (British Columbia)

Bowater Mersey’s private road sign is removed, giving residents access.

The province of Nova Scotia recently purchased 555,000 acres of land from the former Bowater Mersey mill.

Three large pieces of that land had 2,500 kms of forest roads that were blocked off.  Today Nova Scotia opened 13 gates on the road, providing access to 1,700 kms of forest roads.

“The land now belongs to Nova Scotians and it is important to us economically, environmentally and socially. The lakes, streams and woods on this land were always accessible on foot or by paddling and we are now providing road access to vehicles, so long as they stay on the road.”

~ Community Services Minister Denise Peterson-Rafuse, on behalf of Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker

Some areas of the western Crown land are ecologically sensitive, and in order to protect it for future generations, they will remain off-limits to vehicle traffic. Some of the road gates are on private land, and will remain closed as the province works with land owners to determine if those roads will be opened in the future.

Maps of Western Nova Scotia Crown Land road access

Source: Government of Nova Scotia

Two Nova Scotia mills have formed an agreement to work together.

Port Hawkesbury Paper will be renovating its wood room this spring.  During that same time period, Northern Pulp will be down for a 10 day maintenance shutdown.

So, the companies have agreed to word together.  Northern Pulp will provide wood chips for Port Hawkesbury Paper while their wood room is under renovations.

Glenn O’Connor, fibre procurement leader at Northern Pulp, said, “The fibre that we would need at that time we’re not using, so they need wood chips to produce while their wood room is down, so it’s kind of a win-win.”

O’Connor emphasized that collaborating makes sense.  “We’ve all got to survive, and we’re not here to collaborate to lower prices. We’re here to collaborate (in a way) that makes sense and just be smart, and so we all can survive in the same province. It’s a global market. Our competition isn’t the guy down at Port Hawkesbury. It’s the guy in Asia or it’s the guy in Brazil.”

Read more from The Chronicle Herald:
Point Tupper mill links with peers

Nova Scotia is posting a request for proposals later this week for setting up community forests on Crown land.

“A community forest can allow groups to pursue their own goals, including forestry-related businesses, ecotourism opportunities and education programs,” said Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker. “We encourage applicants to think about a wide variety of opportunities that can create jobs and opportunities close to home.”

The request will be open to the 7 groups that submitted applications in January and other applicants that meet the eligibility requirements.

Submissions can be from municipalities, forestry businesses, wood co-operatives, not-for-profit organizations and other community-based groups that can manage forests on Crown land.

Applicants have 12 weeks to submit their proposal, and are invited to meet with the department about guidelines.

The province will also work collaboratively with the Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs on a Mi’kmaq forestry initiative.

Community forests are places for commercial forestry, tourism, recreation, habitat protection, environmental education and research. Municipalities, forestry businesses, wood co-operatives, non-profit organizations and other community-based groups can all manage the forests on Crown land.

To learn more about community forests and how to submit a proposal, visit: http://novascotia.ca/natr/forestry/community-forest.

Nova Scotia is giving Northern Pulp more than $20 million in loans and refinancing to upgrade their mill.

Details:

• $14.7 million repayable loan
• $2.5 million forgivable loan, contingent on installing the new air pollution equipment and reaching employment and wage target
• refinancing $5.4 million of a repayable loan from 2009

Northern Pulp has been ordered by the province to fix its air pollution.  These loans, along with $5 million from the company, will allow Northern Pulp to implement new environmental technology sooner to significantly reduce air particulates, and make other capital improvements on the more than 40 year-old mill.

The new equipment will more effectively removes particles from flue gas, will cost $12 million.

Northern Pulp will also spend $10.2 million to build a state-of-the-art wood-chip plant to improve supply-chain efficiency, reduce operating costs and create 20 new jobs.

These projects will help save the company $9 million annually.

Northern Pulp produces northern bleached softwood kraft, which is mainly made in Canada and the Nordic countries. It has longer and stronger fibre lengths and diameters than anywhere else in the world, making it a critical ingredient for products such as toilet paper, napkins, paper towels, adult and child diapers, packaging materials, printing paper and newsprint.

Source: Government of Nova Scotia

Natural gas availability for businesses and residences in Nova Scotia is still relatively scarce, but that may be about to change in Pictou County.

Heritage Gas is about to run a 19 km pipeline that will give Pictou County residents near the pipeline, and Northern Pulp, access to natural gas.

Heritage Gas will spend $13.5 million and the province of Nova Scotia will contribute $2.5 million to help with start up (that will be refunded as more businesses join).

As Heritage Gas builds the pipeline, Northern Pulp will convert its plant to natural gas as part of the company’s plan to reduce its energy costs and improve air quality and environmental performance. The province will lend Northern Pulp $3.6 million and provide a capital equipment incentive of $900,000 to help it convert.

Heritage Gas is submitting an application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to expand into Pictou County. A separate application is being filed to establish a new rate for Northern Pulp. Both Heritage Gas and Northern Pulp can terminate the agreement if the approvals are not granted.

Heritage Pulp plans to start construction on the steel pipeline to Northern Pulp this spring, and have the project completed by December 1. The pipeline will be extended in 2014 to New Glasgow and Stellarton.

Natural gas burns cleaner than other fossil fuels, emitting 45% to 80% less carbon dioxide than coal, and two-thirds that of oil, with negligible sulfur dioxides.

“Natural gas is an important part of the province’s plan to move toward cleaner and more renewable energy sources, leading to lower, fairer electricity prices for Nova Scotians over the long term,” said Energy Minister Charlie Parker.

Heritage Gas Limited is a Nova Scotia-based company formed to operate a full regulation natural gas distribution franchise in the province. In 2012 alone, Heritage Gas customers saved more than $77 million and reduced emissions by over 160,000 tonnes.  Heritage Gas reaches more than 20,000 households and businesses throughout Nova Scotia. It is owned by AltaGas Utility Group Inc., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of AltaGas Limited.

Source: Government of Nova Scotia