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Domtar
City still looking at adding New Afton Mine to Kamloops tax roll
KAMLOOPS - Plans to include the New Afton mine within Kamloops city limits are still in the discussion phase but the city is also looking at other options. Mayor Peter Milobar met recently with Minister of Mines Bill Bennett and Minister of Community Peter Fassbender at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention. “He’s committed to...
Thompson Rivers University partners with industry to bolster trades program
KAMLOOPS – An agreement between Thompson Rivers University and local heavy industry will help support training for trades students. An agreement was signed today, July 28, between Domtar, Unifor local 10B and Thompson Rivers University to support the university’s trades students in their training programs. The agreement also vows to, where possible, hire students from...
New high stack design to reduce impact of Domtar emissions
KAMLOOPS - Though a major project has been delayed by nearly a year, Domtar is well on the way to living up to its promise to reduce emissions by 68 per cent by 2016. As part of the air permit process Domtar assumed the obligation, through purchasing the mill in 2007, to achieve a 61...
New Gold air quality better than originally indicated
REPORTING METHODS UPDATED KAMLOOPS - The amount of fine particulate matter produced by the New Gold mine just outside of Kamloops is a lot lower than originally thought, according to recent numbers from the company. When the 2012 numbers were released last summer it appeared the New Afton Mine was the third worst polluter in...
Officials at Kamloops mill come to agreement with union
KAMLOOPS – Officials at Domtar have reached an agreement with the Unifor union to support local trade apprenticeship students with training opportunities at the pulp-mill in Kamloops. The agreement follows the issues caused by the pulp-mill’s A-Line closure in 2013. The decision resulted in a layoff for 125 workers and an 80 per cent reduction...
Don’t be alarmed by the alarms
KAMLOOPS - Domtar is running a test of emergency response systems this morning, and while a company spokesperson says it likely will not be heard by many people they want to reassure everyone it is just a test. “We do it periodically to test our emergency response systems to make sure they are all working,”...
Big industry wants bigger tax breaks
KAMLOOPS - The heavy industry players in Kamloops have been asking for a tax break for almost eight years and while council agreed to hold the line this year the four big companies still want to see more done. Last year council agreed to a last minute change in the budget, allowing a small break...
Domtar eyes North Shore monitoring station
KAMLOOPS — Though complaints are down, Domtar continues to closely monitor odours from the factory and is even looking at adding an additional air quality monitor near McArthur Island. Kristin Dangelmaier, Environmental Manager for the Kamloops mill, says there appears to be a direct correlation between the reduction in number of calls and the closure...
Stinky smell briefly wafts over Kamloops, prompting deluge of worried calls
KAMLOOPS – If pulp mill odours in British Columbia are occasionally described as the smell of money, a lot of cash was wafting over Kamloops Wednesday night.
Fewer complaints over stench in 2013
KAMLOOPS — The annual air report from Domtar shows improvements in air quality, though the company is claiming the public tolerance for smell may be getting lower as well. Overall, complaints in 2013 were 'notably fewer' than the previous two years, which the company attributes to the measurable reductions in total reduced emissions from the...
Ajax would offer significant economic impact
KAMLOOPS — Ajax mine will have a significant impact on the local economy if operational by 2018, according to a recent study commissioned by Venture Kamloops. The study, released this week, shows Ajax Mine will directly employ almost 220 people and directly contribute $360,000 in municipal taxes annually once operational. During the design phase municipal...
Investigators to examine cause of Saturday night Kamloops mill fire
KAMLOOPS – Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out in a Kamloops pulp mill.
Big industry continues appeal for $3.5 million tax break
REQUEST WOULD COST HOMEOWNERS $120 PER YEAR KAMLOOPS – The four big players in Kamloops heavy industry came before council on Tuesday once again asking for a tax break to help make them more competitive. In a letter to council in April, while the mayor and councillors were on the cusp of approving the biggest...
Weighing in on heavy industry tax rates
KAMLOOPS – Council faced some hard decisions during budget time earlier this year and they are now hoping the four big players in the heavy industry group will come forward well before budget time to discuss tax rates instead of again waiting until the last minute. Mayor Peter Milobar says he would like to see...
Council offload taxes from industry to homeowners
Kamloops homeowners will have to dig deeper for city taxes this year to pay for a drop in taxes for some of the area's biggest businesses. In early March, four heavy industry players – Domtar, Lafarge, Tolko and Arclin – asked for a decrease in city taxes. After three hours of back and forth discussion...
Cleaner air following pulp machine closure
Domtar Kamloops mill environmental lead Kristin Dangelmaier doesn't expect to have the same number of complaints about smell this summer following the closure of the A-line pulp machine this week. The closure forces the layoff of 125 employees but also means reductions of 80 per cent of sulphur particulate (the main cause of the bad...