British Columbia含羞草研究社檚 forests minister says the province will fight against 含羞草研究社渦nfair duties and stand up for forestry workers含羞草研究社� after Canfor Corp. announced the closure of two northern B.C. sawmills, partly blaming 含羞草研究社減unitive含羞草研究社� U.S. tariffs imposed last month.
Bruce Ralston says the U.S. Department of Commerce含羞草研究社檚 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 含羞草研究社渇oundational part含羞草研究社� 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 Canfor含羞草研究社檚 B.C. operations had lost 含羞草研究社渉undreds of millions of dollars含羞草研究社� in recent years, something he also connected to 含羞草研究社渋ncreasing regulatory complexity.含羞草研究社�
But the company含羞草研究社檚 challenges were exacerbated by the 含羞草研究社減unitive U.S. tariffs含羞草研究社� announced on Aug. 14, he said.
He said that delaying the closures of the Vanderhoof and Fort St. John mills would 含羞草研究社減rolong the punishing anti-dumping duties and put additional operations at risk.含羞草研究社�
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 含羞草研究社渄eeply shocked and saddened含羞草研究社� by Canfor含羞草研究社檚 announcement.
含羞草研究社淭his news is a significant hit to our community and the families directly affected,含羞草研究社� Hansen said in a statement.
含羞草研究社淐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.含羞草研究社�
Peace River North MLA Dan Davies called the closures 含羞草研究社渁n unbelievable turn of events.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淐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,含羞草研究社� he said on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.
READ ALSO:
