Alberta Backs C$50M Whitecourt Mill Expansion

The Alberta government will provide more than C$1.5 million to support a nearly C$50-million expansion of Alberta Newsprint Company’s paper mill in Whitecourt.

Funding will be provided through the province’s Investment and Growth Fund. The project will modernize the facility and enable it to manufacture multiple paper grades as the company seeks to diversify beyond its traditional newsprint operations.

The expansion is expected to create 13 permanent full-time positions and 25 temporary construction jobs. It will also help retain more than 220 existing jobs at the Whitecourt mill.

Mike Putzke, general manager of Alberta Newsprint Company, said the funding would support the mill’s modernization and product diversification as it adapts to changing paper markets. The project is also expected to improve production flexibility and enable the manufacture of higher-value paper products.

The Whitecourt facility is Alberta’s only newsprint mill and converts Alberta wood fibre into paper products. The government said its modernization will support the mill’s role in the regional forestry supply chain and rural economy.

The province has not disclosed details about the equipment to be installed or the expected completion date.

Alberta said its Investment and Growth Fund has generated approximately C$30 in private investment for every dollar of public funding. The provincial government committed nearly C$28 million to the program in its 2026 budget.

Source: Paperage