300 jobs lost as Canfor closes Prince George pulp mill

Forestry company Canfor says it is permanently closing its Northwood pulp mill outside Prince George, B.C., resulting in the loss of 300 jobs.

300 jobs lost as Canfor closes Prince George pulp mill Canfor closing pulp mill Forestry company Canfor says it is permanently closing its Northwood pulp mill outside Prince George, B.C., resulting in the loss of 300 jobs. A statement from the Vancouver-based firm says it is committed to supporting its employees, including providing severance and exploring opportunities to "redeploy" workers to other locations. It says the pulp and paper sector continues to face significant challenges, and additional production capacity that has come online globally has created an oversupply in the market, putting downward pressure on prices.

It says those factors combined with what the company describes as persistent challenges accessing wood fibre have resulted in a "prolonged period of unsustainable financial losses for Canfor Pulp." With no foreseeable improvement in the outlook, it says Canfor made the "difficult decision" to close its Northwood facility. It says Northwood is expected to close later this year following a wind-down process.

"We recognize this is incredibly difficult news that will have a significant impact on our employees, their families, the businesses that support our operation, and the communities where we operate," CEO Susan Yurkovich says in the statement. "This decision is in no way a reflection of the dedication or hard work of our employees. The team at Northwood has worked tirelessly to improve performance, navigating challenging conditions to support their operation and we are grateful for their efforts."

More BC News - 2 dead in helicopter crashPort McNeill - 5:42 pm - Canfor closing pulp millPrince George - 5:24 pm - Heavy smoke damageKelowna - 5:18 pm - UTV goes up in flamesKelowna - 4:50 pm - Urged to use less waterOliver - 4:41 pm