Still waiting for an answer!

The on going saga of Watson Island continues to keep the city in suspense, as Sun Wave Forest Products let a deadline of reply slip by without any correspondence.

City Council had forwarded a letter to Sun Wave asking about their intentions for the mill, which Sun Wave purchased last summer, with little to no activity taking place on the mill site, many in Rupert are fearful that the pulp mill may never open again, bringing to a close the longest running story in recent Rupert history.

The Daily News provided an update from the city side of the debate in Monday’s paper.

CITY STILL SEEKING ANSWERS FROM MILL’S NEW OWNERS
Councillors press company about its long-term plans
The Daily News
Monday, February 19, 2007
Page three

The city is continuing to shake its finger at Sun Wave Forest Products over their apparent failure to do anything with the Watson Island Pulp Mill.

At last week’s council meeting, Coun. Sheila Gordon Payne noted the deadline the city had given Sun Wave to reply to their most recent letter had passed.

Coun. Tony Briglio added: “I think we had discussed at some point having our solicitor send a letter and I am wondering if that has happened and if not, had we ought to send a strongly-worded letter suggesting what options we might have as a community if they don’t follow through with any indication that they are doing anything out there with respect to that site.”

City administrator Gord Howie said they haven’t received any correspondence from Sun Wave since their most recent letter.

He noted the city’s solicitor had been helping him craft previous letters and he will return to the solicitor for advice going forward.

There has been little-to-no news out of the company since they acquired the Watson Island Pulp Mill last summer.

Sun Wave is the B. C. arm of the China Paper Group, a large state-owned Chinese company with more than half a dozen paper mills overseas.

The city gave Sun Wave a five year break on taxes in exchange for an agreement to operate the pulp mill, however since the purchase, the company has said it is having trouble getting operating funds from overseas into Canada.