The Kamloops Pulp Mill (Photo via Kruger)
BC’s Forests Minister is suggesting that — despite the recent spate of mill closures and curtailments — it’s not all doom-and-gloom right now in the sector.
Calling the move this week by Canfor to announce the permanent shuttering of its mill in Chetwynd, along with the retooling of another operation in Houston in the next few months, “difficult for the workers and the communities,” Forests Minister Bruce Ralston says there are still bright spots.
He points to last year’s purchase of the Kamloops pulp mill by Kreuger.
“So far, the news is that the 320 jobs at the former Domtar mill in Kamloops will be maintained,” Ralston told Radio NL on Thursday, a day after Canfor announced its plans for the two communities outside of Prince George.
Ralston says government support — in the form of transition programs — will be provided to Chetwynd and Houston to help the roughly 400 mill workers set to be laid-off in those towns find other opportunities.
“The ministry has a full community team that goes in to help families, their representatives of their unions, make a transition to something else,” said Ralston.
Government promotion of value-added sector/via Government of British Columbia
Ralston says while the mill closures in Chetwynd and Houston, on top of the recent shutdowns and curtailments in various other parts of the province, are difficult for the communities, it also reinforces his government’s position that more emphasis needs to be placed on the value-added sector.
He points to the government’s announcement earlier this week to allocate more of the allowable cut to companies involved in the value-added sector.
