A maintenance shutdown project has begun at Irving Tissue and Irving Pulp & Paper in west Saint John.
More than 1,000 contractors from across the province are taking part in the $22-million project.
Mark Mosher, vice-president of pulp & paper for J.D. Irving, Limited, said the work represents an annual investment in the future of the mill.
“Saint John is home, but we depend on suppliers from across New Brunswick to keep the mill running — from the woodlands through to the workers on site today,” said Mosher in a news release.
“We’re committed to sustaining the mill jobs and the local suppliers — many of whom we’ve worked with for generations.”
Meet Trevor and Scott Chadwick from @BabcockWilcox @LIUNA! For 38 years they have worked contract jobs at our Irving Pulp & Paper site in @cityofsaintjohn. Thank you for your work during our 2019 shutdown at Irving Pulp & Paper. #NewBrunswickProud #InvestingintheFuture #SaintJohn pic.twitter.com/bpcUMGb9DT
— J.D. Irving, Limited (@jdirvinglimited) September 13, 2019
Among the workers are about 150 millwrights, pipefitters, boilermakers and labourers from Lorneville Mechanical in Saint John.
Work on the project is expected to continue around-the-clock until next Tuesday.
The pulp mill, which has been part of the Saint John community since 1893, is one of the longest-running mills in Canada.