The federal Canadian government recently announced that they will allocate 42 million dollars in funding for reducing the pulp and paper industry's environmental footprint. These 15 projects will be among the last to receive funding from the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program, according to the web site Pulp & Paper Canada.
The Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program will lay the groundwork for a greener, more sustainable future for Canada’s pulp and paper sector by supporting innovation and environmentally friendly investments in areas such as energy efficiency and renewable energy production. It will allow pulp and paper mills in Canada to further reduce their greenhouse gas emissions while helping to position them as leaders in the production of renewable energy from forest biomass.
Cariboo Pulp & Paper Company in Quesnel, B.C., will receive $5.5 million to lower the company’s environmental footprint by reducing the amount of chemicals.
West Fraser Mills Ltd., also in Quesnel, is receiving $2 million for its Quesnel River Pulp mill Waste Water Heat Exchanger Upgrade Project.
West Fraser Mills is receiving $5.1 million in Slave Lake, Alta.
Tolko Industries Ltd. in The Pas, Man., is receiving $2.5 million.
Fortress Specialty Cellulose Inc. in Thurso, Quebec, is receiving $9.9 million.
Kruger Wayagamack Inc. in Trois-Rivières is receiving $6.3 million for five projects.
Domtar Inc. in Windsor is receiving $5.5 million for two projects.
Fibrek S.E.N.C. in Saint-Félicien is receiving $5.1 million to increase the mill's energy efficiency and environmental performance.
The Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program calculates a maximum funding envelope for a company based on a $0.16 per litre credit for black liquor produced by their mills between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. Firms will then have until March 31, 2012 to draw on this funding to finance approved capital projects that offer demonstrable environmental benefits, such as improvements to their energy efficiency or their capacity to produce alternative energy. The program is capped at $1 billion and total payments to Canadian industry will not exceed this amount.
