History of Operations

PULP PRODUCTION

1947 - pulp and paper mill built in Port Alberni.
1947 - 1993 - kraft pulp production.
1955 - 1963 - stone ground wood pulp production.
1989 - Chemi-thermomechanical pulp (CTMP) production.
2012 - current CTMP production of about 600 tonnes per day.

MILL OPERATIONS

1947 - single-line kraft mill
1956 - paper machine was added to produce linerboard.
1958 - paper machine added
1964 - paper machine added.
1970 - effluent treatment added to reduce BOD and TSS in the inlet.
1982 - liner board production ceased.
1983 - first telephone directory paper was produced
1989 - installation of a power boiler stack precipitator.
1990 - peroxide addition to bleaching process
1992 - Port Alberni Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations issued under the Fisheries Act.
1993 - activated sludge treatment system added
1993 - Kraft line shut down.
1995 - paper machine #5 was reconfigured to produce lightweight coated papers.
1996 - installation of the fluidized bed burner in power boiler #4.
1999 - started burning chipped rubber tires (TDF or tire-derived fuel).
2000 - newspaper production ceased.
2005 - one paper machine shut down indefinitely.
2010 - removed oil burning infrastructure - now dependent on natural gas and hog fuel.
2011 - upgrades on #4 hog fuel power boiler to improve combustion & energy efficiency
2012 - current annual production of 338,000 tonnes of specialty papers used in telephone directories, catalogues, magazines, brochures, inserts, and flyers.

2013 - redundant Catalyst Paper aeration lagoon sold to the City of Port Alberni for their sewage treatment upgrade project
2016 - Food Safety system implemented in the paper mill to allow the production of papers used in food packaging and food service

OTHER 2011 - replacement of the Robertson Creek dam used to manage fish flows in the Stamp and Somass Rivers
2012 - ambient air quality station moved to Alberni Elementary school site and BAM 2.5 instrument in service to replace the previous PM10 TEOM instrument that was located at the Harbour Quay