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B.C. will fight for workers after sawmill closures: Forests Minister

Ralston pledges to battle US tariffs, support local jobs after Vanderhoof, Fort St. John closures
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Softwood lumber is pictured along the Fraser River in Richmond, B.C., Tuesday, April 25, 2017. Canfor Corp. has announced it is shutting two northern B.C. sawmills in a move it says will impact about 500 workers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

British ColumbiaBԪַs forests minister says the province will fight against BԪַunfair duties and stand up for forestry workersBԪַ after Canfor Corp. announced the closure of two northern B.C. sawmills, partly blaming BԪַpunitiveBԪַ U.S. tariffs imposed last month.

Bruce Ralston says the U.S. Department of CommerceBԪַs decision to increase punishing softwood lumber duties, on top of low prices for lumber, is hurting forestry communities.

Canfor Corp. announced Wednesday that it was shutting the Plateau mill in Vanderhoof and its Fort St. John operation would also remove 670 million board feet of annual production capacity.

The company blamed the closures on the challenge of accessing economically viable timber, as well as ongoing financial losses and weak lumber markets, but said the final blow was the big increase in U.S. tariffs.

Ralston says the forest sector is a BԪַfoundational partBԪַ of the province and the government will work to support local jobs.

He says the province is focused on supporting the approximately 500 workers who are impacted by the closures, and is also working to increase access to fibre and support for made-in-B.C. wood manufacturing.

President and CEO Don Kayne said in a statement that CanforBԪַs B.C. operations had lost BԪַhundreds of millions of dollarsBԪַ in recent years, something he also connected to BԪַincreasing regulatory complexity.BԪַ

But the companyBԪַs challenges were exacerbated by the BԪַpunitive U.S. tariffsBԪַ announced on Aug. 14, he said.

He said that delaying the closures of the Vanderhoof and Fort St. John mills would BԪַprolong the punishing anti-dumping duties and put additional operations at risk.BԪַ

On Aug. 14, the U.S. nearly doubled duties on softwood lumber, in a move the Canadian government called unfair and unwarranted.

The duties increased from 8.05 per cent to 14.54 per cent.

Fort St. John Mayor Lilia Hansen said the community was BԪַdeeply shocked and saddenedBԪַ by CanforBԪַs announcement.

BԪַThis news is a significant hit to our community and the families directly affected,BԪַ Hansen said in a statement.

BԪַCity Council has worked closely with industry partners like Canfor through recent challenging times, and we remain committed to advocating for better regulatory conditions to support our local economy and workforce.BԪַ

Peace River North MLA Dan Davies called the closures BԪַan unbelievable turn of events.BԪַ

BԪַCanfor has been a part of this community for years. Again, horrible government forestry policy that needs to be fixed. My heart goes out to all of the families,BԪַ he said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

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