Vancouver IslandB次元官网网址檚 last rail logging operation has ceased, less than a year after a fatal train derailment tragically killed three workers.
Western Forest Products announced the closure of its Englewood logging train, which is headquartered in Woss, a small village on Northern Vancouver Island, located about 75km southeast of Port McNeill.
B次元官网网址淚ts the end of an area not only for our community logging on the whole coast,B次元官网网址� said Dave Rushton a retired logger who represents the village on the Regional District of Mount WaddingtonB次元官网网址檚 board of directors.
Western said via a Nov. 7 press release that the B次元官网网址渓ogs will be transported by truck at a lower cost to create efficiencies in the transportation of logs to its mills from northern Vancouver Island forestry operations.B次元官网网址�
The railway was first constructed in 1917 and was the only remaining log transport railway systems on British ColumbiaB次元官网网址檚 coast.
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Changing Times
At peak operations, the train employed 34 workers with the line running 90 km from Vernon Lake, through Woss, and past Nimpkish Lake Provincial Park to Beaver Cove.
In their press release, Western stated, B次元官网网址渁s a result of the closure of the train, these positions will be eliminated,B次元官网网址� but the company will identify B次元官网网址渙pportunities for the impacted employees to transition to other positions within its operationsB次元官网网址� anticipating the reduction in jobs to be less than 15.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a devastating blow but it wasnB次元官网网址檛 unexpected,B次元官网网址� said Rushton, adding B次元官网网址淚t kind of feels like a prizefighter who has been knocked down, we get up and itB次元官网网址檚 like another sucker punch after the incident in April.B次元官网网址�
In April 2017, the Englewood logging train derailed near the centre of Woss, killing three workers and injuring two more.
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Western then halted operations on the train line, out of respect for the workers and their families, according to a joint statement from Western and their union the United Steelworkers Local 1-1937.
Rushton said although the closure of the train B次元官网网址渨as expected with the rumours going onB次元官网网址�, it will impact the entire village, which has a population fewer than 200.
B次元官网网址淲e are a small very tight night community - we celebrate everyoneB次元官网网址檚 fortune and we mourn their bad fortune, so it affects everybody,B次元官网网址� he said, adding that some of the workers are second or third generation residents. B次元官网网址淭hey have kids and grandkids here and if they have to relocate itB次元官网网址檚 tough.B次元官网网址�
Company offering to retain employees
Western said it is committed to working with its employees in a fair and equitable manner.
B次元官网网址淭he company is focussing today on working with our impacted employees and discussing options with them to look at other positions, retraining opportunities and other options that may be available,B次元官网网址� said WesternB次元官网网址檚 Communications and Government Relations Director, Amy Spencer via email.
Rushton noted a transition would be hard for some workers as B次元官网网址渢he guys that work on that road are in their late 50s and itB次元官网网址檚 tough to retrain and go back to schoolB次元官网网址� but he hopes that B次元官网网址渢heyB次元官网网址檒l be something encouraging for them all.B次元官网网址�
The closure of the logging train operation, also has implications for road conditions on Highway 19, with Rushton stating heB次元官网网址檚 not sure if Western will use the highway exclusively but, B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址淚t will definitely be an adjustment for everyone that uses the highway there is no doubt about that.B次元官网网址�
He noted that there are a lot of questions still left to be answered, but B次元官网网址渨e are a resilient group I am sure that we will recover.B次元官网网址�
Western employs over 3,500 employees and contractors on the coast, of which 600 are directly employed on northern Vancouver Island.
