J.D. Irving's Crown forest contract made public

A 25-year agreement between J.D. Irving Ltd. and the provincial government for the company's forest operations on Crown land was released in the New Brunswick Legislature Thursday by Natural Resources Minister Paul Robichaud.

The initial term is for 25 years, beginning on July 1, 2014. The contract calls for the company's performance to be reviewed every five years and if it is found to be satisfactory, the term will be extended for five years.

The new agreement will see Irving's annual allocation of spruce, fir, jack pine and white pine increase to 2,027,000 cubic metres, with a minimum of 1,898,000 cubic metres of spruce, up from the current level of 1,500,000.

In the agreement, Irving says it agrees it will not displace its current purchase of wood from private wood supplies with the additional allocation of Crownwood.

The agreement also sets out a process for dispute resolution between Irving and the government, where the matter in dispute would be put before three arbitrators. Each party would choose an arbitrator to hear the matter, and the two arbitrators would then choose the third arbitrator to hear matter with them.

J.D. Irving Crown forestry agreement with N.B.