Tolko Industries updated community leaders on plans to re-open the High Prairie plant during an information session Jan. 20. Left-right, are Bob Fleet, Tolko vice-president of environment and forestry, Lesser Slave Lake MLA Danielle Larivee, Greg Johnston, Tolko general manager of strandboard operations, and Thomas Hoffman, Tolko manager of external and stakeholder relations.

Tolko progresses on plans to re-open in High Prairie

Richard Froese
South Peace News
Tolko Industries is another step closer to its commitment to re-open its oriented strandboard plant in High Prairie.

However, no date has been set.

“The plan is to re-open the mill,” says Bob Fleet, Tolko vice-president of environment and forestry, while speaking during an information session Jan. 20 in High Prairie.

About 30 municipal, First Nations, Metis, business and industry leaders gathered at the Peavine Inn and Suites to hear plans.

Tolko assured them that all parties with a vested interest would be consulted in the process.

Fleet thanked the First Nations and Metis communities along with the Town of High Prairie and Big Lakes County for their support.

“We are excited to re-open so we can support the town and the county and the region,” Fleet says.
“We want to move forward that this will be an economic benefit to all in the region.”

Tolko opened in August 1995 and closed in 2008.

“We need to continue with all partners and communities, First Nations and Metis to understand [what] they desire and to respect treaty rights,” says Thomas Hoffman, Tolko manager of external and stakeholder relations.

That includes the Government of Alberta.

“I’m happy to see that Tolko is committed to re-open the plant and open to consultation with all partners,” says Lesser Slave Lake MLA Danielle Larivee.

“The forests are our shared resource and we all need to work together to share the benefits economically, culturally and environmentally.”

She says the government is willing to work with all sides.

“We are committed to work with First Nations and Metis to best address and respect treaty rights,” Larivee says.

A major step was cleared Sept. 29, 2016 in a letter when the Government of Alberta granted a five-year forest management area extension to Tolko Industries under several conditions.

“The letter indicates the extension can proceed,” Hoffman says, although Tolko has not received any updated FMA documents.

Since the plant closed, Tolko has spent $2-3 million a year to maintain the infrastructure of the plant, Fleet says.

While the plant has remained idle, Tolko has already ordered some parts to upgrade equipment that, he says, “will enable us to make a more diversified range of products”.

Tolko has started a process to recruit staff.

“We have already hired a mill manager,” Fleet says.

Fleet says the plant will require 150 direct jobs on the site and a further 150 in indirect or related jobs.