GP welcomes the potential…

GP welcomes the potential construction of a new facility in Ontario providing additional markets for wood supply that currently has no market. However, we are concerned that this new facility may depend on wood supply that has already been committed by the Crown for use at the Englehart OSB facility, specifically poplar and white birch from the Temagami forest and poplar from the Nipissing forests. Currently, the low utilization of poplar and white birch from these forests is due to the high concentration of unmarketable low grade tolerant hardwoods and pulp size conifer species that prevent a full utilization.

We support this initiative, if this new facility intends to
1. Develop harvesting and hauling capacity to support the additional average 200 loads per week that the facility will require. Currently, there is barely enough capacity to produce and haul wood to markets.
2. Consume the currently unmarketable low grade tolerant hardwoods and conifer pulp, resulting in making available additional poplar and white birch from these forests to assist GP in achieving its Crown commitments.

However, if this new facility expects to use the current logging capacity to supply their facility as well as utilize poplar and white birch, this will have a direct negative impact to GP’s business and reduce volumes currently available for our Englehart OSB facility.

Sylvain Lévesque, R.P.F.
GP North Woods LP
(W) 705-544-6105
(C) 705-679-3005