Quesnel City Council expects to get an update soon on the status of C&C Wood Products.
Mayor Bob Simpson says the new owner is going through the process of finalizing the sale and they have invited him and the Ministry of Forests to a meeting…
“And of course part of that process will involve some kind of engagement around the transfer of the licenses that C&C Wood Products held being transferred over to the new owners, so we’re hoping to get an update on that from both C&C Wood Products and the Ministry, and of course C&C has got a different name now, it’s Quesnel Investment Corporation, so that should be happening quite quickly.”
Simpson says the election call will not have an impact on all of this…
“No, it shouldn’t because it’s in due process, the governing of the province continues, things that are in play continue to be in play because there is time sensitivity around it. What will happen is the government communication kind of shuts down, especially with any new programs or political decisions that need to be made, but we’re still working with all of the various agencies on the issues that we need to work on.”
Simpson says he has had a conversation with the new owners…
“We’re looking forward to some more conversations. We’ve also made arrangements for the new owner to be talking with West Fraser as well.”
As for when it will re-open, Simpson says the city won’t be playing a role in that…
“The only role that the city and the Cariboo Regional District and the First Nations in the area will play is with the disposition of the licenses that C&C Wood Products formally held, because the new bill that the NDP Government introduced that restored the community and First Nations ability to comment on those license transfers or sales kicks into gear, so we’ll have some comment and we’ll be asked for some comment on the transfer of the licenses, but with respect to the sale of the actual physical mill and what happens with the mill we don’t have any input into that.”
Simpson says it is his understanding however that they are actively working on a business model to get it back up and running, at least one shift, as soon as possible.
C&C Wood Products halted operations on May 29th of this year and then filed for bankruptcy back on June 2nd.
The BC Supreme Court then approved the sale of the specialty mill in late July to Quesnel Investment Corporation.
The mill employed 114 people at the time, not including its logging operation.
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