“We are not going anywhere,” assures CEO as company looks to pivot, reinvest in pulp operations
Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper is stopping its newsprint production because of a drop in demand over the past few years.
In a Jan. 22 news release, the forest products manufacturer announced it will be notifying the provincial labor ministry to stop newsprint production sometime this quarter.
The company stated that 150 jobs will be affected by this closure.
Thunder Bay Pulp explained that they made this decision “only after significant efforts to reposition the company within the evolving and rapidly declining newsprint market were fully explored. The impacts of declining market demand were further compounded by significant increases in input costs.”
The mill will continue to operate as a single-line softwood kraft mill while producing renewable energy for sale to the Ontario grid.
“North American newsprint demand has declined by 40 per cent since 2022 when Atlas Holdings purchased the company,” said company CEO Norm Bush in a statement.
“Demand for newsprint in North America declined 18 per cent in 2025 alone. Demand decline is the most insurmountable factor in the decision to cease newsprint production in Thunder Bay.”
The company plans to collaborate with local unions and government to ensure laid-off workers have access to employment transition supports, retraining programs, and other necessary resources.
“This was a very difficult decision, and we know how deeply it affects our employees and their families,” said Bush. “After more than 100 years of operating in the Thunder Bay community, we also understand that the impacts extend beyond the mill, affecting local businesses, Indigenous partners, and the broader region.”
The mill has been an iconic part of the city’s skyline for over a century and is recognized as a top producer of northern bleached softwood kraft and northern bleached hardwood kraft pulp, paper, newsprint, and directories.
Connecticut-based Atlas Holdings acquired the plant from Resolute Forest Products in 2023 and renamed it Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper.
The company mentioned it’s also reaching out to federal and provincial governments for help with new investments into the softwood kraft pulp mill so that it remains an “anchor mill” in the area.
The paper machine will be safely shut down so that future conversion can happen smoothly.
“As a company, we are not going anywhere,” said Bush. “We are the anchor mill here in Northwestern Ontario, and we will continue to be. We will work collaboratively with all stakeholders as this transition unfolds and we position the company for a bright future in Ontario.”
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