Northern B.C. MP speaks out on sawmill closures in Parliament – Enterprise Information

Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach has raised Canfor’s Houston mill closure in Parliament.

He known as on the federal authorities to assist Houston households and companies affected by Canfor’s closure of its sawmill, introduced final month.

“There are few issues extra devastating for a rural neighborhood than studying that its main employer is closing its doorways,” stated Bachrach in his assertion.

“It’s going to place 300 mill workers out of labor — that is 10 per cent of the populations. And it’ll have an effect on a whole bunch extra who work for contractors and native companies.”

Bachrach stated that regardless of options introduced ahead by the mayor of Houston, the native forestry trade, and the Steelworkers Union – together with federal job creation and re-instatement of EI flexibility – the Liberal authorities has taken no motion.

“The BC authorities is already on the bottom, working with the folks of Houston to search out options. We want the federal authorities to step up and play a task as effectively,” stated Bachrach.

Canfor introduced it could shut its Houston mill in April, citing weak markets making its continued operation uneconomical.

Nonetheless, a press release by the corporate known as the closure short-term, saying there’s a plan to rebuild the ability with newer tools however that shall be decided by approval of Canfor’s board of administrators.

Latest mill closures have been affecting communities throughout northern B.C. as Canfor is completely closing its sawmill and pellet plant in Chetwynd and the Jan. 11 closure of Canfor Pulp in Prince George noticed about 90 union employees laid off.