Bathurst fed up with cleanup delays on old Smurfit-Stone site

Bathurst politicians and residents are fed up with the towering silos of the former Smurfit Stone mill, a property that went from a major employer to an eyesore in the northern city.

The mill site greets residents and visitors who drive into Bathurst from the east.

"If you come in from that section of town and you come through that mill site, it looks like a war zone, some people have said," said Bathurst Mayor Stephen Brunet.

"And it's too long, too long in that condition."

The property is in violation of the city's dangerous and unsightly premises bylaw, but the site's owner Green Investment Group, is outside the country.

Green Investment Group has been unwilling to deal with the property despite being given final notice by the city.

Bathurst politicians are trying to put the pressure on the company to clean up the site, which has been long promised.

But Bathurst is stuck in an uncomfortable position.

But Brunet said it's just too expensive for the northern city to take the U.S. company to court and Bathurst can't afford the cleanup.

"If we go ahead and pay a bunch of taxpayer's money on that mill site, there's no guarantee we're going to get it back," the mayor said.

Ray Stillwell, the president of Green Investment Group, did not return calls or emails on Thursday to discuss what will be done with the old Smurfit Stone site.

Government wants a new owner

Bathurst is working with the provincial government on options for the former mill site.

Environment and Local Government Minister Brian Kenny, who is also a Bathurst MLA, said if the company won't pay for a cleanup, maybe a buyer will.

"Have that buyer look after the liabilities that are there. That's the number one goal for us," Kenny said.

"The number one goal also is to put pressure on the owner to do what he rightfully has to do with that property. Unfortunately he's in the United States."

There are roadblocks for potential investors.

There are almost a $1 million in back taxes and environmental reclamation costs associated with the former mill site.

Raymond Robichaud, a businessman from Bouctouche, has had crews working on the site and he's said a deal is possible.

But Natural Resources Minister Denis Landry, another Bathust-area MLA, said he isn't confident about that possible deal.

"For us, as government, we have to call his bluff. We don't know if he's bluffing or not," he said.

In April, Robichaud said he was negotiating with the provincial government over back taxes.

The mill's deteriorating state is causing other problems for the city and its residents.

Last year, the city had to declare a state of emergency over sinkholes that were popping up along Rough Waters Drive.

The city had to fix an abandoned water pipe that once belonged to the mill, which is under the road.

The corrugated paper mill shut down suddenly in August 2005 and put 270 people out of work.