Tolko and Pinnacle Renewable Energy to proceed with pellet plant construction at Lavington

Construction of a proposed pellet plant at Tolko's Lavington mill will begin later this month, Tolko Industries and Pinnacle Renewable Energy have announced.

The decision follows a significant consultation and review process, and permit approval from the Ministry of Environment (MoE) and the District of Coldstream.

The plant will employ technology which advances the way in which pellets are produced in Canada. The drying technology has a low operating temperature which translates into both a lower emission concentration and minimised fire risk. This, combined with the decision to proceed with the implementation of bag house filtration on both the pellet plant and Tolko fibre delivery systems, will improve the overall air quality in the Lavington area.

At Tolko's existing Lavington mill, Troy Connolly, GM, B.C. Lumber, is getting ready for construction and is positive about the impact the pellet plant will have on the Lavington operation.

'Co-locating the plant here at Lavington will bring a number of benefits. It will allow us to deal with the excess of sawdust and shavings that has been collecting, on site and at other locations in the Valley, since Domtar Kamloops reduced its operations in 2013. It will also help us to create more efficient rail and trucking logistics and improve the level of both emissions and fugitive dust control. This is a good project for the community and the mill, and one that supports the long-term viability of the Lavington sawmill.'

The pellet plant is expected to be operational by September of this year and will bring 30 permanent jobs to the area.