British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 forests minister says the province will fight against B次元官网网址渦nfair duties and stand up for forestry workersB次元官网网址� after Canfor Corp. announced the closure of two northern B.C. sawmills, partly blaming B次元官网网址減unitiveB次元官网网址� U.S. tariffs imposed last month.
Bruce Ralston says the U.S. Department of CommerceB次元官网网址檚 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 B次元官网网址渇oundational partB次元官网网址� 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 CanforB次元官网网址檚 B.C. operations had lost B次元官网网址渉undreds of millions of dollarsB次元官网网址� in recent years, something he also connected to B次元官网网址渋ncreasing regulatory complexity.B次元官网网址�
But the companyB次元官网网址檚 challenges were exacerbated by the B次元官网网址減unitive U.S. tariffsB次元官网网址� announced on Aug. 14, he said.
He said that delaying the closures of the Vanderhoof and Fort St. John mills would B次元官网网址減rolong the punishing anti-dumping duties and put additional operations at risk.B次元官网网址�
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 B次元官网网址渄eeply shocked and saddenedB次元官网网址� by CanforB次元官网网址檚 announcement.
B次元官网网址淭his news is a significant hit to our community and the families directly affected,B次元官网网址� Hansen said in a statement.
B次元官网网址淐ity 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.B次元官网网址�
Peace River North MLA Dan Davies called the closures B次元官网网址渁n unbelievable turn of events.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淐anfor 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,B次元官网网址� he said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
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