Harmac Pacific pulp mill is beaming with its normal workforce of 340 fulltime workers, complemented by about 300 additional contract workers for ongoing significant maintenance work. (File photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

big project

‘Great shot in the arm:’ substantial Harmac Pacific maintenance work jolts Nanaimo economy

May 27, 2023 | 5:30 AM

NANAIMO — Upwards of 300 contractors tasked with critical local pulp mill upgrades are also injecting life into the hospitality and restaurant sector.

Paul Sadler, CEO of Nanaimo Forest Products, said a 45 day upgrade project began on May 19 to enhance their largest recovery boiler, requiring hundreds of workers.

“We have 250 trades workers, on top of that we’ve hired about 25 to 30 summer students and we’ve hired probably another 50 or more casual people from Nanaimo to help with running our safety programs,” Sadler told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Regular mill operations are expected to resume in early July after the site’s annually scheduled 12-day shutdown occurs.

Sadler said ensuring skilled trades workers such as boiler makers, pipe fitters and millwrights were all available to converge on Nanaimo took industry-wide cooperation.

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“All major industries in B.C. try to coordinate their annual down time so that we’re not all doing it at the same time. We work very carefully with all of the other industrial players in the province to time the work.”

Harmac’s prolonged maintenance work is much more substantial than a typical year, which saw planning start two years in advance, Sadler said.

He noted the employee-owned mill backed by several investors has received over $200 million worth of capital upgrades over the past decade.

Harmac Pacific employs about 340 fulltime workers, producing high end wood pulp for a variety of end use products all over the world.

The mill is also generates and sells clean energy to BC Hydro.

“This is a great shot in the arm”
Dan Brady, executive director of the Nanaimo Hospitality Association, said the mill’s maintenance work is the equivalent of a conference in town for six weeks.

“When there’s a conference in town things start buzzing: the restaurants are busy, the pubs are busy, grocery stores are busy,” Brady told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Brady said having local hotels, motels and campgrounds fuller than usual this time of year is well timed, providing a significant economic impact.

“It’s a windfall, especially at this time of year. It’s hot and sunny and feels like summer, but it’s not summer, the kids aren’t out of school and the tourists aren’t really traveling yet. This is a great shot in the arm to get the summer season going.”

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ian@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @reporterholmes