Prince Albert pulp mill will not re-open, OSB plant still looking to build on the site
CBC
The sale of a defunct Prince Albert pulp and paper mill from Domtar to the Ontario-based BMI Group has ended plans to re-open the mill and sparked a search for industrial business tenants for the site.
“The site will never be a pulp mill again. That is for sure,” said Chris Rickett, BMI Group’s head of government and community relations.
After eight months of negotiations, BMI purchased the former Weyerhaeuser Prince Albert pulp mill site and buildings from Domtar, Canada's largest pulp and paper company.
“Our approach is a little bit unique in that we look at how we can bring these sites back to life and bring new economic opportunities to them,” Rickett said.
BMI is a development company with environmental remediation experience. Its headquarters are in Tillsonburg, Ont.
The former Weyerhauser Prince Albert Pulp and Paper Mill ceased operations in 2006. Approximately 700 workers at the mill lost their jobs, with further indirect job losses in the forestry industry.
The mill is about 10 kilometres east of the Prince Albert’s downtown along Highway 55. It's within city limits and a source of taxes for the city.
The 2,331 acre parcel of land runs south to the North Saskatchewan River and includes the mill's former waste retention ponds. It also has access to the Carlton Trail Railway line.
BMI said the site’s power generation capabilities could be a draw for some industries. It includes a “power island” that burns tree waste to generate power with steam.
The company said it has already started consulting with the city, the province, First Nations and surrounding communities. Rickett said BMI plans to begin a “formal master planning exercise” in early 2026, with a marketing plan to follow.
“When we listen to locals who know their community and know the opportunities, we often identify business opportunities for the site,” he said.
BMI said it will assess the equipment on the site and see “what needs to stay, what needs to be upgraded, and what can go.”
A spokesperson for the One Sky Forest Products Ltd. told CBC News it is gathering investors to build an oriented strand board (OSB) manufacturing plant on the former mill site. One Sky wants to subdivide a parcel of land from the eastern part of the site to house the OSB plant.
An agreement in principle was reached with the former owners to transfer ownership of the parcel to One Sky, but that deal wasn't completed.
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