Bryan Yu, chief economist for Central 1 Credit Union, had no sooner completed a grim economic prognosis of B.C.’s ailing forest economy when, as if to punctuate the point, Domtar announced it would indefinitely idle its Howe Sound pulp mill in Port Mellon on Aug. 20. He said it was an “unhappy coincidence” that the announced pulp mill closure just happened to be announced the day before Central 1 published its economic commentary, which describes B.C. forest economy reaching the  “breaking point.” The mill’s closure will result in about 400 workers losing their jobs. Domtar (formerly Paper Excellence) gave no date for when the mill will shut down. But if it is before the end of this year, that will mean three major pulp mills in B.C. will have shut down in B.C. in a single year. …The Council of Forest Industries (COFI) estimates 21 mills, mostly sawmills, have shut down in B.C. since 2023.