Burns Lake, B.C. – It won’t create enough jobs to help everyone affected by the Babine Forest Products tragedy, but the timing couldn’t be better for the re-opening of the Sheraton Holdings sawmill east of Burns Lake.

After being mothballed for over a year because of poor market conditions, Sheraton says it plans to begin milling operations once again in March. The start-up will create between seven and nine full-time jobs in the community which is reeling in the wake the wake of the explosion and fire at Hampton Affiliates’ Babine Forest Products.

Sheraton President Quinten Beach and the company’s shareholder Comfor Management Services Ltd. Say the decision to reopen the mill makes good business sense.

“While we were cognizant of the community’s employment needs in wake of the Babine fire, our decision to reopen Sheraton was based on sound business principles,” he explains. “Improved demand for some of Sheraton’s traditional products, coupled with some other developments in the industry, have made if feasible to reopen the company at this time.”

Beach says Hampton Affiliates and Community Futures Nadina will play key roles in the restart of the sawmill. Hampton has offered to sell Sheraton the profile of log needed for operations and Community Futures Nadina is providing a low interest loan to cover anticipated cash flow shortages.

Mill Manager Henry Wiebe is confident the company can be profitable in the months ahead considering there will be motivated employees.

Sheraton Holdings Ltd. is accepting resumes at its Burns Lake office and representatives will be at the community job fair being held in the community today.