British Columbia Mill Closures and Curtailments 2019 – January 2020
NOTE: The following was gleaned from social media (BC Logging Convoy). Before life gets any worse we decided to share this one with our readers. All credits go to this group for thier efforts to save our logging industry from the NDP.
In May 2017, NDP leader John Horgan visited Merritt, vowing to provide support to workers in the forestry industry. He delivered a speech, blasting Liberal leader Christy Clark for not working to keep the Tolko mill in Merritt open. He explained, “There’s a range of tools available to the provincial government. We can make sure we step in when a community is in distress and have someone there to ensure that we’re looking at: what are the cost and consequences for the mill? Is it a fibre question? Can we get more fibre to the mill?” (1)
At the same visit, Horgan also told those in attendance that the closure never would have happened under an NDP government. (2)
So how has Horgan’s NDP government fulfilled that claim? Well, see for yourself. The following list was compiled from data off an interactive map provided by CBC (3). This information only considers 2019 closures and curtailments, though it provides a very clear picture of how Horgan doesn’t stand by his word.
• Teal-Jones Harvesting Operations – Honeymoon Bay, closed September 10, 2019
• Interfor Hammond Sawmill – Maple Ridge, permanent closure by the end of 2019. 130 jobs lost.
• Teal-Jones Harvesting Operations – Pitt Lake, closed September 10, 2019
• Teal-Jones Harvesting Operations – Boston Bar, closed September 10, 2019
• Tolko Industries Lumber Mill – Kelowna
- Shift reductions, starting July 2019, 90 jobs lost
- Temporary curtailment August 6 to September 15, 2019
- Indefinite curtailment starting September 12, 2019, 127 jobs lost.
- Closing January 8, 2020, 174 jobs lost.
• Canfor Sawmill – Elko, temporary curtailment June 24 to July 5, 2019
• Canfor Sawmill – Radium Hot Springs, temporary curtailment June 24 to July 5, 2019
• Tolko Industries White Valley veneer operations – Lumby, temporary curtailment August 17 to September 2, 2019
• Tolko Industries Eagle Rock Division – Armstrong, temporary curtailment December 21, 2019 to January 6, 2020
• Tolko Industries Heffley Creek – Kamloops
-Temporary curtailment of plywood and veneer operations August 24 to September 2, 2019
-Temporary curtailment of all operations December 21, 2019 to January 6, 2020
• Canfor Sawmill – Vavenby
-Six-week curtailment from February 11 to March 22, 2019.
-Closed July 2019, 172 jobs lost.
• West Fraser Chasm Sawmill – 70 Mile House, closed by September 2019, 176 jobs lost.
• West Fraser Sawmill – 100 Mile House
-Entire third shift eliminated by October 2019; 34 jobs affected.
-Variable operating schedules starting September 16, 2019
• Norbord OSB Mill – 100 Mile House, indefinite curtailment starting August 2019, 160 jobs affected.
• Tolko Soda Creek Stud Lumber Mill – Williams Lake
-Reduction to three-day work week September 16 to September 20, 2019
-Reduction to four-day work week starting September 30, 2019, 180 jobs affected.
• West Fraser Plywood – Williams Lake, temporary curtailment September 16, to September 30, 2019
• West Fraser Sawmill – Williams Lake
-Temporary curtailment for one week in June.
-Variable operating schedules starting September 16, 2019.
• Tolko Industries Sawmill – Quesnel
-October 2018 announced laying off 100 workers.
-Closed August 2019, 150 jobs lost.
• West Fraser Sawmill – Quesnel
-November 13, 2018, announced permanent shut-down of third shift, affecting approximately 75 workers.
-Temporary curtailment for one week in June.
-Variable operating schedules starting September 16, 2019
• Sinclair Group’s Lakeland Mills – Prince George, temporary curtailment August 19 to September 2, 2019
• Canfor Intercontinental Pulp – Prince George, temporary curtailment July 12 to August 12, 2019
• Canfor Sawmill – Prince George
-Temporary curtailment June 24 to July 4, 2019
-Temporary curtailment September 3 to September 6, 2019
• Canfor Sawmill – Isle Pierre (Prince George)
-Temporary curtailment, Fridays from June 14 to August 30, 2019
-Permanent shift reduction down to one shift, starting September 20, 2019.
• Canfor Sawmill – Polar
-Temporary curtailment June 24 to July 11, 2019
-Temporary curtailment September 3 to September 6, 2019
• Sinclair Group’s Nechako Lumber – Vanderhoof, temporary curtailment August 19 to September 2, 2019
• Canfor Sawmill – Plateau
-Temporary curtailment July 2 to July 26, 2019
-Reduced work week to four days a week, starting September 2019
• West Fraser Sawmill – Fraser Lake
-November 13, 2018, announced permanent shut-down of third shift, affecting approximately 60 workers.
-Temporary curtailment for one week in June 2019
-Variable operating schedules starting September 16, 2019
• Conifex Sawmill – Fort St. James
-Shut down operations for two weeks, commencing November 5, 2018, affecting 180-200 workers.
-Two-week curtailment beginning December 17, 2018.
-Temporary reduction of production commencing January 1, 2019.
-Closed; sold mill and forest licence to Hampton Lumber, 170 jobs lost.
• Sinclair Group’s Apollo Forest Products – Fort St. James, temporary curtailment August 19 to September 2, 2019
• Canfor Sawmill – Houston
-Temporary curtailment July 2 to July 26, 2019
-Temporary curtailment September 3 to September 6, 2019
-Reduced work week to four days a week, starting September 2019
• West Fraser Sawmill – Smithers, temporary curtailment for one week in June.
• Canfor Sawmill – Mackenzie
-Temporary curtailment June 17 to July 26, 2019
-Indefinite curtailment starting July 18, 2019, 200 jobs affected.
• Parallel 55 Fingerjoint Plant – Mackenzie, indefinite curtailment starting July 26, 2019, 40 jobs affected.
• Conifex Sawmill – Mackenzie, temporary curtailment July 22 to September 3, 2019, 150 to 175 jobs affected.
• West Fraser Forest Industries – Chetwynd
-Temporary curtailment for one week in June
-Variable operating schedules starting September 16, 2019
• Canfor Sawmill – Chetwynd, temporary curtailment June 24 to July 5, 2019
• Canfor Pulp Mill – Taylor, temporary curtailment June 29 to August 5, 2019
• Louisiana Pacific Peace Valley OSB Mill – Fort St. John, indefinite curtailment starting August 2019, 190 jobs affected.
• Canfor Sawmill – Fort St. John
-Temporary curtailment, nine days spread between June and August 2019.
-Temporary curtailment September 3 to September 6, 2019
• Tolko Industries – all B.C., shutting down from December 21, 2019 to January 6, 2020
References:
1. Merrittherald.com, Horgan pins Merritt mill closure on Clark, May 2, 2018, Retrieved December 2, 2019 from https://www.merrittherald.com/horgan-pins-merritt-mill-clo…/
2. Q101.ca, Horgan: Not Enough Done to Prevent Tolko Shutdown, May 2, 2017, Retrieved December 2, 2019 from https://q101.ca/…/9770-horgan-not-enough-done-to-prevent-to…
3. Cbc.ca, Lumber company Tolko shutting down all B.C. locations for 2 weeks over Christmas, November 15, 2019, Retrieved December 2, 2019 from https://www.cbc.ca/…/tolko-shutdowns-christmas-2019-1.53606…
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