Former customers for the newsprint from this mill included newspapers in the US and Canada. An earlier plan to combine a new sawmill with the TMP mill was dropped.

Despite the situation described above in late 2009 Manitoba Conservation requested a twenty year forest stewardship plan, with a proposal under Manitoba's Environment Act, and environmental impact assessment. The filings went to public review, which closed in January 2010. The licence for the mill, and the woodlands operation are separate licences, but both are held (together with a legal agreement with the Manitoba government) by the same company. All fiber under a woodlands environmental licence goes through the mill. Tembec had been securing additional fiber for the mill across the province.

Manitoba Wildlands responded to the public review under the Environment Act.

"We found there was a lack of context, and a serious lack of knowledge of public policy as these apply to the public forests in the Forest Management Area. The lack of a business plan, or explanation whether there is any market or an operating mill for the fiber is a glaring deficiency at this time. Our recommendation to the minister of Conservation is to avoid licencing until there are answers to these deficiencies, an improved plan, and EIA," commented Gaile Whelan Enns, director of Manitoba Wildlands.