BMI receives nomination for 2024 Canadian Brownfield Awards for their transformative remediation of Red Rock Mill site

BMI Receives 2024 Canadian Brownfield Award Nomination for Transformative Remediation of Red Rock Mill Site

BMI, its subsidiary Red Rock Mill Development Inc. (RRMDI), Pinchin, GFL Environmental, and the Township of Red Rock have been nominated for the Sustainable Remediation Category. This award is given to projects that maximize environmental benefits by avoiding offsite disposal and reducing environmental impacts.

This recognition underscores the dedication and collaborative efforts in restoring the 400-acre former pulp and paper mill site, which closed in 2006 and left behind longstanding environmental challenges.

In October 2023, BMI and Red Rock Mill Development Inc. (RRMDI) began a concentrated effort with environmental consultant Pinchin to resolve the site's legacy issues. These included identifying hazardous wastes, abating building infrastructure, and decommissioning assets sustainably.

Some of the key projects submitted to the Canadian Brownfield Awards committee include:

• Bunker C Tank Decommissioning and Pond Remediation

• Former Administration Building Abatement and Demolition

• Landfill Closure

• Aerated Stabilization Basin (ASB) Decommissioning and Water Management

• Waste Clean-Up and Reuse

The Bunker C Tank project stands out for its particularly innovative approach. This tank, containing a heavy fuel oil used in marine vessels, had been degrading for over 50 years, just 100 meters from Lake Superior, leading the Federal Government to deem Nipigon Bay an area of concern.

Working with Pinchin, the team employed a creative method of “pudging” the pond surrounding the tank, combining its contents with wood waste from previous mill operations to create a stable, semi-solid base for access. This approach allowed the team to safely dismantle and recycle the tank’s materials and restore the area as a naturalized woodland.

Through the reuse of wood residuals already onsite, the team successfully reduced the environmental impacts of left-behind assets and completed a project that would have otherwise been cost-prohibitive. 

The same “pudging” technique was applied while decommissioning four Black Liquor Tanks on-site. By combining the tank contents with wood waste, the team created a solid material that could be processed and disposed of locally. This eliminated the need to ship the liquid waste regionally for processing and reduced the environmental impact of transportation.

More than $6 million has been invested in site remediation and cleanup efforts at the Red Rock Mill, reflecting BMI’s commitment to responsible development and environmental stewardship.

With these cleanup efforts, BMI has taken the first steps to transform this former brownfield site into a Critical Mineral Hub for Northern Ontario. The Hub is expected to generate over 1,000 jobs for Red Rock and surrounding areas, providing multimodal transport and services to the critical minerals and growing EV supply chain sectors in Canada.

“Our mission here is to grow the community in a way that benefits the citizens of Red Rock.... We have to clean things up, it’s the most important thing we can do right now.”

Peter Whitby, General Manager (Red Rock), BMI Group