Market conditions, a lack of fibre and US tariffs are forcing the two-week closure the Tolko lumber plant in Armstrong. Tolko spokesperson Chris Downey said employees were notified the mill will be taking two weeks of downtime beginning Sept. 16 and ending Oct. 1. “Unfortunately, the availability of economic fibre in BC, combined with weak market conditions and increased US tariffs continue to have an impact on our operations,” Downey said in an email. “As we’ve seen recently, the entire industry is feeling this pressure and while we prefer to be fully operational, difficult decisions are needed to ensure we are sustainable for the future.” Scales in the region will remain open.