Dear editor,
The Restrictive Covenant Agreement between Resolute Forest Products and 2670568 Ontario Ltd. outlines the criteria by which Resolute agreed to sell the Fort Frances mill. There are several restrictive covenants, however it is the covenant that restricts the buyer of the Fort Frances mill from interfering in the relationship between Resolute and the MNRF or to engage the MNRF in any way to change or alter the allocation of fibre that is disconcerting. What is the relationship between Resolute and the Ministry that the Company wishes to protect? How has the Ministry’s position vis a vis the Fort Frances mill and the allocation of the wood supply supported the communities dependant on the effective and efficient use of the forest resources?
The Office of the Deputy Minister supported the disposition criteria established by Resolute from 2014 through to the sale of the Fort Frances mill to a community developer. I feel the Office of the Deputy Minister is responsible for the destruction of the Fort Frances mill and the value this facility represented for Ontarians. All of the Forest Management Units in Northwestern Ontario are reporting actual harvest rates well below the planned harvest and are looking for initiatives and opportunities to increase the harvesting of forest resources. It appears the demolition of an existing pulp and paper mill contributes to these initiatives.
We will look at how the MNRF has supported the communities, dependent of the Crown Forest, next.
Thank You,
David Kircher
