News release

Legislation Amends Taxation Agreement for Port Hawkesbury Paper Mill

Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations (Oct. 2000 - March 2014)

Updated legislation will formalize the tax agreement between the Municipality of the County of Richmond and the Port Hawkesbury paper mill that helped support 1,400 good jobs for families in the Strait region.

At the request of the municipality, Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell introduced amendments to the Richmond Stora Enso Taxation Act today, Nov. 29.

"The residents of Port Hawkesbury want to be able to continue to live, work and raise a family in their community," said Mr. MacDonell. "We are pleased the mill is back in operation and this legislation helps ensure good jobs remain in rural Nova Scotia and workers in the Strait region are able to be back at work."

Under the taxation agreement put forward by the municipality, the taxes for 2012-13 will remain at $2.6 million, with NewPage and Port Hawkesbury Paper GP Ltd. (PHP) each paying $1.3 million. As of April 1, 2013, PHP will pay $1.3 million in taxes for three years. The legislation will expire March 31, 2016.

"Richmond County is proud of the role it played getting this project across the finish line," said Steve Sampson, Warden, Municipality of the County of Richmond. "We're grateful to the plant workers, truckers, woodlot owners, municipal neighbors, and the province in ensuring that the mill will continue to make paper."

Through jobsHere the province is making investments that are helping Nova Scotia businesses grow the economy, maintain jobs and remain competitive.