NEWPRO has received support from Smithers Council to move forward with their permit amendment.
The company plans to convert its old particle board production into a wood pellet plant, which would cut air pollutants by 94% since the factory was last in operation.
However, Smithers’ air quality is already over the provincial standard of pollutants per metre cubed.
Council is looking for a middle to create new jobs and find new tackle air pollutants, and Mayor Taylor Bachrach says one method to address this is to be more aggressive on wood stove emissions.
“By doing that, and creating space in our community for a new industrial development, we can hopefully, ideally, create new jobs and create cleaner air,” he says.
Council will be writing a letter to the Ministry of Environment to show their support for the company.