Ellis Ross

Skeena BC Liberal MLA Ellis Ross says he’s ready to back up any application Skeena Sawmills makes for government assistance to re-open its closed sawmill and Skeena Bioenergy pellet plant and put people back to work. …Skeena Sawmills closed for an indeterminate period, affecting more than 150 direct employees as well as contractors and suppliers. The company cited weak lumber markets and high operating costs combined with the inability to acquire enough economical and quality logs as reasons for the closure. It said a re-opening cannot take place until the market for its wood improves. Although the government has promised $90 million over three years to create forest industry manufacturing jobs and a further $50 million to move fire-damaged wood from remote areas to pulp mills, Ross said that may not go far. “Some of these mills, the plans call for spending upward of $100 million or more,” he said.