The latest blow to BC’s battered forestry sector has prompted industry, union and local officials to call for immediate support. The push comes after Canfor announced the impending closure of its Northwood pulp mill near Prince George, BC. …COFI president Kim Haakstad likened the situation to a medical emergency. “The patient (is) on the operating table, it’s not the time to think about lifestyle changes,” she said. …Forests Minister Ravi Parmar, meanwhile, said he expects to roll out plans for the province’s permitting system “imminently.” …Canfor said that additional pulp production capacity had come online globally, pushing prices down. …Gavin McGarrigle, Unifor’s western regional director, said the loss of so many jobs in a community the size of Prince George can have cascading social and economic impacts. “The pulp mills are fed by sawmills, so there’s jobs that will be lost in the sawmills. Then you have all of the contractors”.
In related coverage by:
- Unifor: Canfor closure brings B.C. forestry closer to the brink
- Ted Clarke in the Prince George Citizen: Northwood Pulp Mill employees face uncertain future
- Brendan Pawliw in My Bulkley Lakes Nows: A Shaken Sector: politicians weigh in on Canfor’s Northwood Pulp Mill closure