The impending indefinite shutting of Domtar’s Howe Sound pulp mill on the Sunshine Coast risks touching off a domino effect of closures and job losses within the tightly integrated coastal forest industry. That raises the stakes for a last-minute effort to head the closure off. On Sept. 4, BC appointed high-profile negotiators to work with Domtar on the matter. If that effort fails, industry consultant David Elstone said more than the 400 jobs… would be at stake, because its operations are “integrated heavily” with the sawmills that provide raw materials. “If Howe Sound goes down, you’ll basically see the start of the implosion of the coastal forest industry.” …It would be the third major pulp mill curtailed this year. …Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar appointed former top civil servant Don Wright and former Canfor CEO Don Kayne as negotiators to iron out a possible resolution to keep the Howe Sound mill running. [to access the full story a Vancouver Sun subscription may be required]