Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc. - Licence for a forest resource processing facility

Description of instrument

The Ministry is considering the issuance of a type “K” forest resource processing facility licence to authorize the construction and operation of a forest resource processing facility.

Under Ontario Regulation 167/95 under the Crown Forest Sustainability Act, a type “K” licence is issued for a “Other Wood Fibre Product Facility” with the capacity to process more than 5,000 cubic meters per year. Typical products produced at a type “K” licence are any product not specified in other facility licence types A forest resource processing facility licence may be issued for a term of up to 5 years.

Other information 

Lake Nipigon Forest Management Inc. has submitted a proposal to establish and operate a biohub in Hurkett, Ontario.  The primary business of the Hurkett biohub is to create a centralized wood processing location that will sell timber products to conventional markets (i.e., sawmills & pulp mills) while promoting value added recovery (i.e., veneer, firewood, etc.) and producing the feedstock to supply the biocarbon and renewable natural gas facility that is proposed to be located adjacent to the biohub.

The biohub is expected to process approximately 200,000 cubic metres of wood annually. Initially the biohub will include the operation of a mobile chipper and a mobile grinder, with plans to move to a stationary electric chipper, a stationary electric grinder, and an electric sawmill with conveyors and sorting bins by ~2026.  The biohub is expected to create 20 jobs (4 directly at the biohub and ~16 in forest operations/transportation).  Typical products of a biohub would include:

• sawlogs
• veneer bolts
• softwood pulp
• hardwood pulp
• hog fuel
• firewood
• timbers for home construction
• artesian materials
• landscaping mulch
• bark medium
• residential biomass heat feedstock
• biomass feedstock for the biocarbon and RNG facility

Public consultation opportunities

Some supporting materials may not be available online. If this is the case, you can request to view the materials in person by contacting the office listed below and inquire if materials are available.