CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/08/12 -- Canexus Corporation (TSX:CUS) (the "Corporation" or "Canexus") today announced Board of Director approval of the expansion of its North American Terminal Operations ("NATO") at Bruderheim, Alberta to include pipeline connected unit train operations. The Corporation also announced that formal agreement has been reached with MEG Energy Corp. ("MEG") to connect the Canexus Bruderheim terminal ("Bruderheim" or "Bruderheim terminal") with pipelines which interconnect with the MEG Energy Stonefell Terminal, and to provide terminalling services to MEG for the loading of bitumen blend for transport by rail and the receiving of diluent shipments by rail.

In this next phase of NATO expansion, Canexus plans to connect the Bruderheim terminal by pipeline (24 inch bitumen blend line and 12 inch condensate line) to MEG's pipelines which interconnect with MEG's Stonefell Terminal, as well as potentially to a second pipeline connected facility located nearby. In addition, it plans to build out the rail infrastructure, loading/offloading and above ground tank storage required to allow for unit train movement of up to 118 tank cars (approximately 70,000 barrel movements) in single trains daily. The cost of the project is expected to be approximately $125 million, inclusive of the $45 million of pre-spending authorized by the Board to date for long lead items and other construction activities that are currently underway. This expansion will be financed from the common share offering announced on November 29, 2012 (the "Offering," which is expected to close on December 19, 2012), excess distributable cash, committed credit facilities and DRIP proceeds. The expanded capabilities should be operational in the third quarter of 2013.

"We are pleased to announce full project approval of the expansion of our Bruderheim terminal capabilities that will include pipeline connected unit train operations for large scale movements of bitumen blend and diluent by rail," said Mr. Gary Kubera, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Agreement has been reached with MEG Energy Corp. to connect Bruderheim with the MEG Energy Stonefell Terminal. Significant progress on a potential second pipeline/terminal connection to Bruderheim has also been made and negotiations are proceeding with additional customers for unit train shipments from Bruderheim under multi-year, take-or-pay terms."

The Corporation expects this next phase of NATO expansion to be accretive to all common shareholders after considering the common share offering announced on November 29, 2012 (including the over-allotment option if exercised). This next phase of expansion sets the stage for future incremental unit train capability, utilization of the existing 1.6 million barrels of salt cavern storage, development of additional salt cavern storage and pursuit of other attractive investment opportunities at this 480 acre site.

About Canexus

Canexus produces sodium chlorate and chlor-alkali products largely for the pulp and paper and water treatment industries. Our four plants in Canada and two at one site in Brazil are reliable, low-cost, strategically-located facilities that capitalize on competitive electricity costs and transportation infrastructure to minimize production and delivery costs. Canexus also provides fee-for-service hydrocarbon transloading services to the oil and gas industry from its terminal at Bruderheim, Alberta. Canexus targets opportunities to maximize shareholder returns and delivers high-quality products to its customers. Canexus common shares (CUS) and debentures (Series I - CUS.DB; Series III - CUS.DB.A; Series IV - CUS.DB.B) trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange. More information about Canexus is available at www.canexus.ca.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forwarding looking statements. More particularly, this press release contains statements concerning the closing of the Offering and the anticipated use of the net proceeds of the Offering, statements concerning expectations for the interconnection of the Bruderheim terminal and the MEG Energy Stonefell terminal and the initial capacity, cost expectations, timing for completion and contribution to operating cash flow of the Bruderheim terminal, statements concerning expectations for a second pipeline/terminal connection and expectations for securing customers at Bruderheim under multi-year, take-or-pay agreements. By their nature, forward looking statements involve a variety of assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements including market and general economic conditions, future costs, treatment under governmental regulatory, tax and environmental regimes and the other risks and uncertainties detailed under "Risk Factors" in the Corporation's Annual Information Form filed on the Corporation's SEDAR profile at www.sedar.com. Although Canexus believes that the expectations reflected in these forward looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Canexus can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties.

The closing of the Offering could be delayed if Canexus is not able to obtain the necessary regulatory and stock exchange approvals on the timelines it has planned. The Offering will not be completed at all if these approvals are not obtained or some other condition to the closing is not satisfied. Accordingly, there is a risk that the Offering will not be completed within the anticipated time or at all. The intended use of the net proceeds of the Offering might change if the Board of Directors of Canexus Corporation determines that it would be in the best interests of the Corporation to deploy the proceeds for some other purpose.

The forward looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and Canexus undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.