Vancouver Island paper mill to close indefinitely, at least 150 jobs affected
B.C.-based company Paper Excellence says it is indefinitely ceasing its paper operations at one of its Vancouver Island facilities in two months.
In an announcement Thursday, the company said its Catalyst Crofton facility, south of Nanaimo, B.C., will stop producing paper in early December, a move that's expected to affect at least 150 workers.
"Paper markets in China served by the mill have significantly weakened while there have been substantial cost escalations for chemicals, energy and wood fibre used at Crofton," said the company in a statement.
Paper Excellence says the 'indefinite curtailment' will affect about 80 Unifor employees and 70 Public and Private Workers of Canada union workers at the mill.
Pulp operations at the mill are expected to continue, according to Paper Excellence.
"We recognize the hardship this will have on both our employees and the Cowichan Valley," said the company.
"We hope to minimize these impacts through union discussions that will consider secondments, utilization of earned time off and employment insurance."
OTHER CLOSURES AND GRANTS
This is the second Paper Excellence mill to indefinitely cease operations in B.C. within the last year.
In December, the company shut down its Catalyst Paper tiskwat mill in Powell River, B.C.
The closure affected around 200 mill workers.
In June, the federal government provided a $4.5-million grant to Paper Excellence to begin producing food grade papers at its mill in Port Alberni, B.C.
The company says it will try to provide customers with products from the Port Alberni mill "where possible" as the Crofton facility winds down.
"Paper Excellence is working with both Provincial and Federal Governments while it conducts studies at the Crofton facility to consider accelerating its conversion into natural food and packaging grades," said the company Thursday.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Her fiance has been in prison for 49 years. She's trying to free him before it's too late
Christine Roess is a retired consultant. Ezra Bozeman has spent the last 49 years in prison, serving a life sentence for a murder he says he didn’t commit. Against the odds, the two fell in love.