The United Steelworkers union is calling Canfor Corp.含羞草研究社檚 decision to shutter two northern British Columbia sawmills a 含羞草研究社渒ick in the gut含羞草研究社� for workers who will lose their jobs, calling for the company to lose its forest tenure rights in the province.

The union含羞草研究社檚 local chapter in Prince George, B.C., says in a statement that about 325 of the 500 workers at the Plateau mill in Vanderhoof and Canfor含羞草研究社檚 Fort St. John operation belong to United Steelworkers.

The statement says the union membership was 含羞草研究社渄evastated含羞草研究社� to hear Canfor含羞草研究社檚 announcement on Wednesday that the mills would close by the end of this year, removing 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 last month in U.S. tariffs that Canfor called 含羞草研究社減unitive.含羞草研究社�

Brian O含羞草研究社橰ourke, president of the USW local in Prince George, says in the union含羞草研究社檚 statement that while the union will fight for 含羞草研究社渆very benefit and right afforded to members by the collective agreement,含羞草研究社� the province must stand up for the beleaguered sector and rural communities.

He asks when 含羞草研究社渢enure and timber rights held by Canfor含羞草研究社� will be taken away 含羞草研究社渋f they can含羞草研究社檛 mill that timber in those communities.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淭here used to be accountability and a social contract for the forest industry to provide good-paying jobs to these communities in exchange for the right to harvest the timber. When is the government going to stand up for the public含羞草研究社檚 resource and the communities it supports?含羞草研究社�

According to the USW release, Canfor has closed 10 mills in the province since November 2011, including nine in northern B.C.

含羞草研究社淚f Canfor wants out of B.C., and it sure looks like it does, then we need to find someone who will provide high-paying, community-supporting jobs for the right to harvest the timber,含羞草研究社� says Scott Lunny, the union含羞草研究社檚 director for Western Canada.

B.C. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in a statement the province would fight against 含羞草研究社渦nfair duties and stand up for forestry workers含羞草研究社� and agreed with Canfor that the U.S. Department of Commerce含羞草研究社檚 decision to increase softwood lumber duties on top of low prices for lumber was hurting forestry communities.

Ralston said the forest sector was a 含羞草研究社渇oundational part含羞草研究社� of the province and the government would work to support local jobs.

He said the province was focused on supporting the workers impacted by the closures, and is also working to increase access to fibre and support made-in-B.C. wood manufacturing.

In a written statement, B.C. Council of Forest Industries president Linda Coady said while 含羞草研究社済lobal market challenges persist,含羞草研究社� the province must do more to mitigate those impacts such as 含羞草研究社渟etting a target for a consistently available level of harvest.含羞草研究社�

Coady said in her statement that there was a 含羞草研究社渘eed for immediate government action to address the root causes含羞草研究社� of the threat facing B.C.含羞草研究社檚 forestry sector, with predictable access to fibre being the most pressing.

含羞草研究社淯rgent action is required to defend B.C. producers, workers, and communities from the disruptive impacts of these unfair and unwarranted tariffs,含羞草研究社� Coady said.

含羞草研究社淲ithout decisive intervention, the viability of this foundational industry is at risk.含羞草研究社�

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