Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, 08 September 2011 -- Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver was in Fredericton, New Brunswick, 06 September to announce “key investments” that will benefit the regional economy and advance transformation in the province’s forest industry.

A total of CAD 3.7 million will go to AV Nackawic to reduce the mill’s fossil fuel consumption and to increase the amount of steam it produces from renewable resources.

Twin Rivers Paper Company Inc. will receive CAD 2.4 million to improve its recover boiler’s energy efficiency and to reduce the Edmundston mill’s sulfur dioxide emissions.

Combined, these projects are expected to generate enough renewable energy annually to heat more than 280 homes, while saving enough energy to heat an additional 1100 homes. The greenhouse gas emissions of these mills will be reduced by nearly 2800 metric tons annually, equivalent to the emissions produced by nearly 760 cars.

The two mills employ 775 people.

The three projects are funded through the CAD 1 billion Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program created in 2009.