Irving Pulp & Paper receives first components for CAD 1.5bn mill upgrade

The first barge of major equipment for Irving Pulp & Paper's CAD 1.5bn Project NextGen arrived at the company's Saint John, New Brunswick mill site on 13 September 2026. The upgrade, backed by a CAD 660m loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank closed in September 2025, will add a new recovery boiler, steam turbine and green energy generator while retiring an oil-fired boiler. It is expected to cut kraft pulp emissions per tonne by 50%, make the mill energy self-sufficient and lift softwood kraft pulp output by over 70%.

Why this mattersA single mill moving into the global top ten for softwood kraft with 70% more output shifts NBSK supply and the fibre cost curve for premium tissue buyers.

• First barge of major components for Project NextGen arrived at Lee Cove, Saint John, on 13 September 2026
• Project NextGen is a CAD 1.5bn upgrade of Irving Pulp & Paper's west-side kraft pulp mill in Saint John, New Brunswick
• The Canada Infrastructure Bank closed a CAD 660m loan to Irving Pulp & Paper in September 2025 to support the project
• The project includes a new recovery boiler, steam turbine and green energy generator, and decommissioning of an oil-fired boiler
• The upgrade is expected to cut emissions per tonne of kraft pulp by 50% and make the mill energy self-sufficient
• Once complete, the mill's softwood kraft pulp output is expected to rise by more than 70%, placing it among the top 10 global producers

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