The Kamloops-North Thompson MLA says the key now with the Canfor mill shutdown in Vavenby is minimizing the impact to employees.

Peter Milobar called the news “gut wrenching” that 178 people will be losing their jobs, and says there are moves the provincial government can make.

“I know the last time the mill was down for a couple of years, the province stepped in and the feds stepped in and there was an aggressive logging operation for Firesmarting around the community that happened, and they kept about 50 to 55 people employed. Is there something there where the province could step in and help with the fireproofing a community, which is high on the list of needing it?” Milobar says.

“I think that’s the key to all of this. Last time, and hopefully the government recognizes this, the last time around 2008 that this happened, the oil industry was still booming along. And so there were a lot of forest workers who were displaced, who stayed in the Clearwater area and were able to go off into the oil fields and still be able to provide a good living for their families.”

Milobar also says the municipal leaders in that area are long-time community members and says the province needs to embrace the local expertise and vision forward.

The mayor of Clearwater, Merlin Blackwell, tells NL News the forest industry makes up about 40 per cent of the economy in the North Thompson. He says many workers were near retirement but indicates many more will need assistance.

Meanwhile, the president of the United Steelworkers Local 1-417 Marty Gibbons has long been calling for some sort of provincial or federal support for the struggling forest industry in B.C.