There is a lot of concern and uncertainty in Brooklyn, Nova Scotia following news that the Bowater Mersey paper mill could shut down.

Courtney Wentzell has worked at the mill for 26 years. He says it has gone through rough patches before, especially since the merger with Abitibi, but this time things are different.

"They've been involved with the government, they were talking about pulling the plug in September, so it's a little more dire and a little more serious," says Wentzell.

Parent company AbitibiBowater says the plant may close by the end of the year, but it is hoping the province and other involved parties will come to a solution before then.

This is not the first time the mill is in danger of shutting down. There have been numerous closures in the past, and there are plans to shut the mill down for one week later this month.

But this time the mill is facing a deadline.

If effective cost-cutting measures aren't put in place by January 2, the mill will remain closed. But it's not just the workers at the mill that will be impacted by the closure.

People living and working in the small community are worried about what the shutdown will mean for them.

"It would be a big drop in business," says Mitchell Williams, who runs a gourmet meat shop down the street from the mill. "We'd see a lot of our local customers loving out of the area."

Roughly 300 people work at the mill - which has been operational since 1929 - but it's estimated more than 2,000 people will be affected if the mill shuts down.

Premier Darrell Dexter held an emergency meeting in Liverpool yesterday to address the issue.

"If there is assistance that we can make that would lead to a long-term sustainable renewal of the plant, then we are prepared to look at that," said Dexter on Thursday.

Wentzell attended the meeting with government officials and he says he left feeling reassured they will do what they can, but other residents aren't as hopeful.

"I think people are scared," said one resident. "It's been a threat for quite awhile that we're going to lose the mill. We've just been holding on to the last hope that it won't close."

"I think it has created a feeling of depression in the town, and bewilderment because I don't think people were ready for this," said another.

The mayor of Queens Municipality is attending a meeting of Nova Scotia municipalities in Halifax, where many other economic challenges are being discussed.

Mayor John Leffe says there is a three-pronged approach to saving the mill.

"One of them is reducing energy costs, the second is improving efficiency in the mill, which will be a matter that resides between the men and women who work at the mill and management," says Leffe.

He says the third is to improve transportation and wood fibre supply.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster