
Ravi Parmar
Ravi Parmar, Minister of Forests said “news that the Canfor Northwood pulp facility will be closing is heartbreaking. …I have reached out to Unifor Local 603, the City of Prince George and other community partners to offer my support. Staff in the ministries of Forests; Jobs and Economic Growth; and Social Development and Poverty Reduction, will be deploying support to affected workers. We will be leaning on our federal government partners to help support the transition the forestry sector is facing in the Prince George region. “BC’s forestry sector is facing immense challenges. …None of that softens the news, but it shows why we must keep pushing to stabilize and transform BC’s forestry sector.
In a related statement by Kim Haakstad, CEO of the BC Council of Forest Industries: “Forestry supports nearly 100,000 good jobs, generates billions in economic activity, and underpins reconciliation and rural stability. Every day without long-term predictable and economic access to wood means more families, workers, and communities are put at risk. We call on the provincial and federal governments to urgently implement the recommendations of the Forest Sector Transformation Task Force, with a specific focus on improving access to wood and utilization of sawmill residuals.”