Environment Minister Tim Halman Photo: N.S. Government.
Nova Scotia’s environment minister says the next step in dealing with the former Northern Pulp mill site in Pictou County is a detailed reclamation plan from the company.
Tim Halman says the site now falls under provincial cleanup rules following the company’s decision earlier this month to walk away from a proposed new bioproducts mill in Liverpool.
“The next step is that reclamation plan,” Halman told reporters this week. “And once we have that, we’ll have more to say about the Abercrombie site.”
Northern Pulp operated the kraft pulp mill at Abercrombie Point for more than 50 years before shutting down in 2020. The property also includes a former chemical site with known mercury contamination.
The province reached a settlement agreement with the company last year that included up to $15 million for site cleanup—but only after other debts are paid through the ongoing insolvency process in B.C.
Halman said the $15 million figure has been cited as Northern Pulp’s expected contribution, but the actual costs won’t be known until a full cleanup plan is reviewed.
Under the Environment Act, there’s no set deadline for submission, but Halman said expectations are clear: “The expectation is for every proponent to follow our rules, to follow our regulations.”
The minister would not speculate on what the reclamation might involve, including whether the mill structure would be removed entirely. He also declined to comment on historical pollution from the Canso Chemicals site, though he acknowledged that any known issues will likely be reviewed once the plan is in hand.
Halman said his department has not received a submission from the company, nor a timeline for when it might be delivered, but senior officials are monitoring the file closely.
He also confirmed that to his knowledge, the chemical site operator is not currently required to submit a separate plan.
