Rail Spur Blockade In Houston
Houston, B.C.- A rail spur leading from the CN mainline to West Fraser's Houston Forest Products operation in Houston is the subject of a blockade.
For the past two weeks, Tahtsa Timber has been blocking the spur with an excavator.
The issue appears to be one of compensation. The allegation is that the spur line was laid on private property without authority, that there has been no easement for the line, and that promises made were not kept.
While confirming the blockade is underway, Tara Knight, spokesperson for West Fraser, says “we are currently in ongoing discussions.”
West Fraser will be closing that mill at the end of the 2nd quarter, as part of its tenure swap deal with Canfor. West Fraser gained tenure in the Quesnel region and Canfor closed its sawmill there, West Fraser gave Canfor some of its tenure in the Houston region and will close its mill in that community.
The impact of the blockade may not be having the desired effect as it comes at a time when forest products producers all along the CN line are facing a shortage of rail cars to ship their goods. Product is still being moved by truck from some areas, but for the most part, producers have had to stockpile product until CN can deliver some rail cars.
Comments
Can you imagine where I would be if me and some friends were putting up that blockade??
Yep arrested and in jail!
The question is if the rail line has been legally in place (easements and such). If it is on private land without any easements and written legal documentation, then he has a right to block this portion of land. Can only block it on his land and not off this property.
Hmmm, I wonder what happens a locomotive with 100 cars behind them hits an excavator at 40 mph. My money is on the locomotive.
CN makes compensation…. I don’t think they care too. Keep the line, keep the tracks. The mill is shutting down anyway. They can truck out the lumber to a loading area.
If I was West Fraser, I would shut down the mill and stop producing the lumber, layoff all the workers prematurely and the blame lands on the Blockaders.
That would be great He spoke. Just flip the switch “sorry we can’t ship”. Let the union fight it out with the blockade while the wood is trucked to the quesnel mill…
Yep, the line to the mill has been there for how many years, and now at the point of permanent closure, they are thinking about a blockade….. Who was the master of this situation, If I was the band, I would have made sure that there was a locomotive on the otherside, and than dug up the tracks. That would get a lot more attention.
The rail spur is likely owned by WF, for CN this means one less customer to service.
The rumour is that West Fraser took three years of wood away from the contractor because of the closure.
Nothing in the story to indicate that this is a First Nations blockade. Seems it is being run by Tahtsa Timber who’s head office is in Burns Lake. They own various companies, ie; logging, pellets, cants, etc; etc;.
Probably trying to get their money before West Fraser disappears in that area.
Neither CN or WF would lay rail on any property without an easement because they would be liable for hefty damages in a civil suit; they would not be covered by their insurers for any accidents on this spur line, and uh, how would they get a building permit from the regional district for construction if they didn’t have a easement. A court of law is the only way to resolve this if the natives are correct. Otherwise its just another illegal blockade.
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