Ontario’s Natural Resources Minister is reaffirming his plans to wait for a deal to purchase the idled Fort Frances mill before discussing wood allocation.
John Yakabuski was pressed at Queen’s Park to ensure fiber was made available if the mill reopens.
NDP critic Michael Mantha says the government has the power to make that decision.
“Minister, your government controls the wood rights on crown land. It also has the obligation to involve First Nations communities in meaningful consultations. But as the Liberals did before, the Ford government is sitting on its hands instead of taking action,” says Mantha.
Yakabuski prefers to wait.
“The issue in the Crossroute Forest, as you know—there is a wood allocation that has been made and the wood is being used in other mills. Should a deal be brokered together by someone who is prepared to operate the Fort Frances mill location, we would re-look at that allocation,” says Yakabuski.
Local officials contend any effort to reopen the mill cannot happen without a wood allocation.
