PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. -- A spokesman for the former NewPage mill in Cape Breton says if a sale is finalized Friday, all workers will be back on the job by Sunday.
Marc Dube says the plan by Pacific West Commercial Corp. is to have the first roll of paper produced within two days of the restart.
Workers have been recalled over the past two weeks, with about 150 currently on site preparing the mill for restart.
Dube says the full complement of 330, including 229 unionized employees, would be on the job Sunday.
The sale's completion depends on the provincial energy regulator, which is to decide Friday whether it will issue an expedited ruling on Pacific West's revised power rate filing or whether it will send the matter to a full hearing.
If it goes to a hearing, the company has asked that the load-retention rate be approved on an interim basis.
In evidence filed with the Utility and Review Board on Tuesday, Pacific West indicated it "would consider closing the transaction" and resuming mill operations if it receives an interim approval.
NewPage will be in court in Halifax on Thursday seeking to have its creditor protection extended to Oct. 5 so that all details associated with the sale can be completed.
