In Review: Remembering Bowater

Looking back at 2012, we remember the Bowater Mersey paper mill in Brooklyn. After weathering slumping paper markets worldwide and the general economic downturn, the mill closed in June and hundreds of people suddenly found themselves without jobs. The closure stunned the region and the mayor of the District of Queens at the time, John Leefe, says the loss of Bowater was a dark time in all his 12 years in office.



A transition team was established to help people in Queens and Lunenburg counties cope with the loss of Bowater and recommend how to move forward.  Ron Smith headed the team.



The province has lately inked a deal with Bowater-owners Resolute Forest Products to take over the company's woodlands and the Brooklyn mill site. Nova Scotia Power purchased the power generating facility.  The Oakhill sawmill which provided wood chips and sawdust to Bowater was not part of the arrangement. Its now closed and the equipment is being dispersed to other Resolute operations in North America.