Over 1,700 suppliers in 250 New Brunswick Communities 

Small businesses are the lifeblood of our forests products operations. With over 1,700 suppliers in 250 New Brunswick communities, we take pride in working with small businesses to accomplish big things. 

$90 Million to 166 New Brunswick Companies 

166 New Brunswick companies, many with 20 employees or less, worked with us on Phase Two of Canada’s largest investment in a pulp and paper mill since 1993. 

“…a direct and positive impact on small business.”

Urban Deli is an unexpected Saint John small business that benefits from J.D. Irving, Limited investments in our operations.

An unexpected small business that benefits from J.D. Irving, Limited investments in our operations is local uptown restaurant, Urban Deli. “The mill modernization project has had a direct and positive impact to our small business,” said Elizabeth Rowe, Owner, Urban Deli. “On behalf of our 22 wonderful employees, thank you! To have a company repeat their business with us speaks volumes. We look forward to feeding hungry workers during Phase 3.” 

This phase of the modernization project also included 15,000 person hours of work for local electricians like Gardner Electric, part of the Saint John Community for over 30 years. “Its projects like this that keep us going and keep our people in this community,” said Paul Dickerson, Project Manager at Gardner Electric.  

Hear more about our impact from small business Lorneville Mechanical and Master Mechanical, E&I Engineering, B&G Sprinklers, and Guildfords Insulation (see page 5).

Community-Minded Business 

Nicole Clement is a Senior Buyer with JDI, working with suppliers and contractors across the province. From the small town of Norton, New Brunswick, Nicole understands the value of small businesses thriving in the province. See her story here:

$1 Billion in Total Local Purchases 

Our forestry and forest products divisions depend on the strong relationships we’ve built with thousands of suppliers across hundreds of communities, creating valuable partnerships and a reliable supply chain that benefit our customers.

In 2015, total local purchases, including goods and services, wood purchases, and payments to woodlands contractors, increased to over $1 billion – an all-time high over the past five years. In the 2015-16 operating year we purchased over 1.8 million cubic metres from New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Maine private woodlot owners and private land owners. During the same period, we saw a record year in purchases of wood from New Brunswick private wood producers at 510,000 cubic meters. JDI is the largest purchaser of private wood in New Brunswick.

Ships Built in Nova Scotia, Suppliers from Across Canada 

As of August 2016, over $1 billion in AOPS contracts have been delivered to over 190 Canadian companies creating jobs and economic impact across Canada, including over $405 million in contracts to Nova Scotia companies. The AOPS vessels, currently under construction at the Halifax Shipyard, are the first ships to be built under the combat vessels package of the shipbuilding contract. See our Canadian impact with our interactive map.

We look to small businesses for their skills during modernizations, expansions, and maintenance. Thank you to all of our contractors, quality suppliers, and your skilled employees. Happy Small Business Week!