Canfor has announced it will be temporarily closing down operations at almost all of its B.C. dimension mills.
The company said in a news release Wednesday it will be shutting down operations for one week starting April 29. WynnWood mill outside of Creston will be the only facility of 13 to remain open.
Canfor cited low lumber prices and the high cost of fibre for the cause in having to curtail operations, which will impact 2,000 hourly employees.
“We regret the impact the curtailments will have on our employees, their families and their communities. We appreciate the hard work of our employees and contractors across all our operations,” saidMichelle Ward, director of corporate communications.
This is the fourth curtailment that has been announced by Canfor since November of last year.
READ MORE: Canfor curtailing sawmill operations in B.C.
READ MORE: Canfor adds to mill curtailments with brief B.C. Interior shutdowns
Local 1-2017 President Brian O’Rourke said the union doesn’t feel good about the news.
“We heard today that they are going to be curtailing all their operations in B.C. and they are citing low lumber prices and high logging costs. They will be curtailing for one week,” he said.
He added that previous curtailments by Canfor in December were all due to fibre and lumber costs, as well. However, the union has no control over temporary shutdowns.
“We are hoping it will only be short term, a one week thing, and hopefully things will pick up and run as they did normally,” O’Rourke said.
Canfor Corporation has 13 sawmills in Canada with the total annual capacity of approximately 3.8 billion board fleet.
With files from Blair McBride
Aman Parhar
Editor, Vanderhoof Omineca Express
aman.parhar@ominecaexpress.com
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