'Devastating': Powell River paper mill shuts down, 200 jobs affected
More than 200 mill workers in Powell River, B.C., are out of a job Wednesday after Paper Excellence announced the indefinite end of operations at its Catalyst Paper tiskwat mill.
The B.C.-based pulp and paper company says the global contraction of paper markets and the collapse of paper prices created ongoing financial losses at the Powell River mill.
"Despite the best efforts of the mill’s committed team of employees, the facility is simply not viable under the reality of today’s market conditions," Paper Excellence said in a statement Wednesday.
The company had previously announced a temporary curtailment of operations at the mill starting on Nov. 22 with a potential restart in the new year.
The company says 206 employees are affected by the closure.
"Where possible, the company plans to offer relocation or secondment opportunities to other Paper Excellence facilities across B.C. where there are currently job vacancies," the company said.
Paper Excellence operates mills in Crofton and Port Alberni.
'DEVASTATING' FOR THE COMMUNITY
In a statement Wednesday, B.C. Forests Minister Katrine Conroy called the curtailment announcement "devastating for the 206 people who work at a mill, their families and the Powell River community."
“Our government has worked tirelessly with Paper Excellence to keep this operation running and it was our hope that the temporary curtailment announced two weeks ago would have been just that," Conroy said.
“Our government is committed to supporting impacted workers through skills training, short-term employment opportunities, and employment assistance and support," the minister added. "Separately, my colleagues and I will continue to meet with industry leaders to discuss future economic development opportunities at the site."
The company says it will safeguard the Powell River site and its equipment, removing all fibre and chemicals from the site to eliminate environmental risks. "A small team of employees will continue to provide around the clock security and monitoring," the company added.
Paper Excellence says it is engaged with governments and potential partners to find new opportunities for the facility, given its unique access to deep water, natural gas, electricity and power-generating capacity.
"It is Paper Excellence’s long-term goal that the site continues to provide meaningful employment and economic activity in Powell River," the company said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.