News Research & Innovation
Corner Brook Pulp & Paper to house $8.9M provincial innovation centre

Corner Brook Pulp & Paper will soon house a centre devoted to research and development, business diversification and innovation for the province of Newfoundland & Labrador.

The mill is providing its vacant human resources building for the initiative, and will be in charge of maintaining the facility.

The $8.9-million Corner Brook Centre for Research and Innovation is a project initiated by Memorial University’s Grenfell Campus and the College of the North Atlantic (CNA).

“Corner Brook Pulp and Paper is proud to support this initiative by providing and maintaining a venue that will foster innovation, stimulate economic growth and encourage local businesses,” says Darren Pelley, vice-president and general manager of Kruger Inc., Corner Brook Pulp & Paper’s parent company, in a statement.

Additional funding is being provided by the federal and provincial governments and the City of Corner Brook.

The province is putting forth $5.9 million to support an employer-sponsored training program developed and delivered by CNA.

A further $2.9 million from various stakeholders is being allocated for Memorial University to complete the redevelopment of the mill’s vacant building.

Corner Brook Pulp & Paper is also receiving $442,000 in federal funding to research the use of waste byproducts and develop new products under the umbrella of the new innovation centre.

“With this new centre, our students, researchers and industry will be working together to create new products and find new markets for our forestry industry,” says Seamus O’Regan, minister of natural resources, in a statement.

“We are also creating opportunities for workers at the Corner Brook Pulp and Paper mill to continue their training, making the mill more competitive and sustainable.”