©Wikipedia (Murray Foubister)

Maureen Pinkney, mayor of 100 Mile House, says U.S. tariffs on the softwood lumber industry “are the icing on the cake” for an industry in need of fundamental reforms as it prepares for the closure of a local lumber mill. Pinkney says she won’t necessarily “point fingers… but what’s been happening in the last 20 years has not worked,” adding issues like the handling of forestry licenses and the annual allowable cut need to be redone. …Pinkney’s comments come after West Fraser Timber announced that it will permanently close its lumber mill in 100 Mile House by the end of 2025, because of a lack of “adequate volume of economically viable timber.” …MLA Ward Stamer, the forest critic, said that the closure is “devastating” and “yet another sign” of what he called the “NDP’s gross neglect” in managing the industry. …100 Mile House MLA Lorne Doerkson agreed, saying government has ignored every warning sign from the industry.

Related news coverage in Juno News, by Patrick Quinn: Hundreds of forestry workers to lose jobs as B.C. mills fall to U.S. tariffs