Abandoned pulp mill on Vancouver Island demolished
Demolition efforts are underway at a decommissioned pulp mill on the north end of Vancouver Island.
On Wednesday, a controlled implosion brought down the abandoned pulp mill's recovery boiler building in Port Alice, B.C.
Video of the event shows the base of the structure implode before the rest of the building comes tumbling down.
The now-defunct Neucel pulp mill in Port Alice has been a prickly topic for the community since it ceased operation in 2015.
In 2019, the Chinese-owned mill was officially shut down, leaving some workers in the lurch without final severance pay.
After the mill closed, its owners seemingly abandoned the site, forcing the province to step in and hire a contractor to decommission the mill, which was home to multiple environmental hazards.
That too was a sore spot, however, with some local residents saying they should have been hired to complete the job, which they estimated cost more than $10 million.
In February 2020, Port Alice Mayor Kevin Cameron told CTV News he had been told the owners of the mill would be sent a bill for the cleanup, but he said he wasn't confident that would happen, or that they would pay.
With files from Gord Kurbis and Ian Holliday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
Magnitude 4.2 earthquake reported off Vancouver Island's west coast
A 4.2-magnitude earthquake was recorded west of Vancouver Island early Friday morning.
This iconic Canadian song is turning 50
Andy Kim's 'Rock Me Gently' is marking a major milestone, as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
From outer space? Sask. farmers baffled after discovering strange wreckage in field
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
Her SUV was stolen in Montreal. A Good Samaritan on Facebook helped her get it back
Just as she had feared, a restaurant owner from eastern Quebec who visited Montreal had her SUV stolen, but says it was all thanks to the kindness of strangers on the internet — not the police — that she got it back.
Oprah Winfrey: I set an unrealistic standard for dieting
Oprah Winfrey said on Thursday evening that she has long played a role in promoting unhealthy and unrealistic diets.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Toronto police called to Drake's Bridle Path mansion for another alleged intruder on Thursday
Toronto police say a man who allegedly attempted to access Drake’s Bridle Path property was taken to hospital on Thursday after an altercation with security guards.
Flat tire on a highway? Here's why you shouldn't try to fix it
If you're cruising down a highway and realize you have a flat tire, you may want to think twice before stopping to fix it on the side of the road.