Canfor’s announcement on the permanent closure of its Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George has sent a ripple effect beyond the region.
The mill will shut its doors by the end of the year, impacting roughly 300 employees.
National President for the Public and Private Workers of Canada, Chuck LeBlanc said the trickle down effect could be devastating.
“The taxpayers are ultimately going to have to cough up even more money to make up that lost revenue, because the services still need to be happening out there. We still need the money, but where’s that money coming from?”
He added the families affected by the news will be having a lot more to think about now, such as their next steps forward and if they’ll stay in the north, thoughts that they didn’t have just days ago.
The BC Council of Forest Industries (COFI) President and CEO, Kim Haakstad gave a response to the recent announcement, extending their deepest concern to those affected.
She said it underscores the urgency of working together on short-term action to stabilize the sector to ensure mills stay open, people stay employed, and forestry continues to anchor rural, urban and First Nations communities across B.C.
Haakstad added it highlights the importance of continued collaboration between industry and government to address structural challenges and help restore the conditions for a globally competitive forest sector.
COFI is calling on the provincial and federal governments to implement the recommendations of the Forest Sector Transformation Task Force, with focus on improving access to wood and utilization of sawmill residuals.
Neil Godbout, P.G. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, said the local economy won’t be hit as hard down the road with Vitreo Minerals moving ahead with their mining project near Bear Lake, and Enbridge kicking off construction work on the sunrise pipeline expansion project.
“Prince George has been relying less on the forestry sector and more and more on different sectors, whether that’s public sector, or in the private sector with mining, oil and gas, and other resource development projects.”
“We’ll definitely start feeling it once the mill is fully closed at the end of the year, but we will move forward.”
Godbout said the ripple effects can’t be discounted as forestry continues to be a major contributor to the economy, adding the provincial government will need to keep B.C. forestry competitive, with costs to have forest operations affecting that goal.
Read more: “Devastating. Brutal. Tragic.” City Councillors react to Northwood closure
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