The Thompson-Nicola Regional District director for the area including Chasm says it is disheartening that the community’s largest employer is closing down.

West Fraser says it will be shuttering its sawmill in Chasm this summer, which will leave 176 people out of work.

Area E director Sally Watson says some workers will retire, but young families will be desperate.

“Some will simply retire, because that is the path that they were on. But the young families are going to be desperate for places to work to support their families, and that is a huge concern,” Watson says. “I’m disappointed and discouraged. I feel that our forests have been mismanaged for a very long time. That I think is the trigger for this fibre shortage.”

West Fraser will also be permanently cutting one of its shifts at its mill in 100 Mile House, which will leave another 34 people out of work.

“We’ve always been waiting for the shoe to drop, because there are West Fraser mills in both Chasm and 100 Mile, and they’re not very far apart. So we always knew that one would be going,” Watson says.

The company cited “well-documented” challenges in the lumber market as the reason for the closure and shift cut, because of mountain pine beetles, recent significant wildfires, as well as price declines on lumber and a high cost of logs.