It appears fewer B.C interior sawmills are in danger of going under.
The Managing Partner of the forestry consulting firm, FEA Canada, Russ Taylor says, there are more than 70 sawmills in the B.C Interior.
He’s predicting fewer than five will shutdown because of a shortage of wood from the pine beetle epidemic.
“There are already a few mills running on reduced shifts because of the temporary lack of wood, but long term, the available timber supply is coming down. So at some point, there is going to have to be some curtailments and closures, but probably three to five mills. We are almost at the end of that cycle.”
Taylor says, the industry will remain buoyant due to a number of factors including sky high prices, that’s a period that could last anywhere from 18 months to two years.