Two B.C. First Nations are left reeling after the closure of the Fraser Lake Sawmill, which was announced by West Fraser Timber. …Stellat’en First Nation and Nadleh Whut’en chiefs and councils are expressing deep sympathy to those who have lost their jobs. The sawmill was not only the economic engine of Fraser Lake but also of the villages of Stellaquo and Nadleh, and the surrounding region. …Nadleh and Stellat’en said they have been working with the province to attempt to secure fibre for the mill and West Fraser’s decision to close the Fraser Lake Sawmill came despite this continued effort. “We have been trying to make a difference in the forest industry,” said Chief Martin Louie of Nadleh Whut’en. “If West Fraser is not interested in supporting the regional economy, then we need to ensure that the forest resources that they continue to control — the licenses themselves — are transferred to local interests.”

Related news release by the United Steelworkers: Fraser Lake Sawmill to Close, 140 Workers Set to Lose Jobs