Close on the heels of the new forestry plan in an announcement today at the Irving Pulp and Paper Mill, JDI spokesperson Mary Keith stated the $513 million dollar investment will create 326 new jobs in Saint John.
Tracy Glynn of the New Brunswick Conservation Council tells Tide News the idea this investment in mills will create long-term jobs is patently false--in fact, she says, modernizing the mills will ultimately reduce the amount of manpower needed.
The new forestry plan announced yesterday reduces the amount of protected old growth forest and deer habitat from 30% to 23%, and allows for 20% more softwood to be cut annually on Crown land. The rationale is that a stable supply of wood will result in greater investment in our forestry industry.
Glynn says we can expect to see the local extinction of wildlife species in the province due to the destruction of their habitat.
