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Canfor closing Prince George pulp mill, hundreds of jobs lost
🇨🇦 Canada /Economy & Trade

Canfor closing Prince George pulp mill, hundreds of jobs lost

From Global News · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Canfor is closing its Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George, British Columbia, resulting in the loss of 300 jobs.
  • The company cited significant challenges in the pulp and paper industry, including global overcapacity and downward pressure on prices, leading to unsustainable financial losses.
  • British Columbia's Minister of Forests expressed sadness and pledged government support for affected workers and remaining mills, while noting the need for the province to shift towards higher-value manufactured goods.

The forestry sector in British Columbia is facing another significant blow as Canfor announced the closure of its Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George. The decision, made Tuesday, will lead to the loss of 300 jobs, impacting the local economy.

Canfor stated that the global pulp and paper industry is grappling with substantial challenges, including increased worldwide production capacity that has driven down prices. These market conditions have resulted in unsustainable financial losses for the mill, compelling the company to make the difficult decision to cease operations. Canfor has committed to providing severance packages for the affected workers and is exploring opportunities for redeployment to other company facilities.

Yesterday and the days ahead are going to be very tough for the people of Prince George.

— Ravi ParmarBritish Columbia Minister of Forests, commenting on the impact of the Canfor mill closure.

B.C. Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar described the upcoming days as "very tough for the people of Prince George." He conveyed his sadness upon hearing the news and indicated that he had been in communication with the mayor, union representatives, and planned to speak with the local union president. Parmar assured that the provincial government is actively supporting the pulp mills that continue to operate.

Looking ahead, Parmar highlighted the province's need to transition away from relying on commodity pricing. He emphasized the importance of moving towards the production of higher-value manufactured goods to ensure the long-term stability and growth of the forestry sector.

No words I can use this morning … to describe how saddened I am to hear this news.

— Ravi ParmarExpressing his reaction to the closure of the Northwood Pulp Mill.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Global News. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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