100 Mile District Council has met with representatives of several agencies making up a community transition support team to discuss community and worker transition.
In attendance on Wednesday were representatives from the Ministry of forests, lands, Natural resource operations and rural development, as well as Norbord, the public-private workers of Canada union local 9, ministry of social development and poverty reduction, ministry of advanced education, community futures, CRD area directors G, H, and L, the south Cariboo chamber of commerce and the Cariboo family enrichment center.
The meeting highlighted the need for support for small business and suppliers/contractors for the forestry sector, as well as increased mental health supports for the community, as well as planning for economic and worker transition to give resources and direction for new employment in the area. Also discussed was a town hall type meeting to help get information out to the community.
“We appreciate the willingness of all these agencies and passionate individuals coming together to help develop support for the
community and impacted workers” said Mayor Mitch Campsall.
“Right now we are in a brainstorming stage, taking stock of good ideas and beginning to determine the best ways to move ideas to action quickly. We know lots of these supports will be valuable to those workers of Chasm and 100 Mile House sawmill also.”
“We are open to collaboration with the Cariboo Regional District and our neighbors to the south around these challenging times,” he added.
“We know that we are stronger together, and together we are going to come up with community-focused actions to help meet these needs.”
Norbord announced its intention last week to indefinitely curtail production at its OSB mill in 100 Mile.
That would be later followed by West Fraser announcing it will permanently close its Chasm lumber mill and eliminate the third shift from its 100 Mile House lumber mill, both to occur during the third quarter this year.