There is a Chance for Mackenzie Mill

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 04:01 AM

Packed house in Mackenzie to get details of Canfor’s planned indefinite closure

The Regional Manager of Canfor, Mark Feldinger, says there is a better than 50% chance that the company will stay open in Mackenzie, perhaps he says with a reduced work force. “We are asking all of our suppliers, and our work force to review their costs in a general manner. If we are to remain open we will need to look at our costs in all areas”.

MLA Pat Bell meantime says he gives the continued operation of the Canfor Mill in Mackenzie about a 40% chance. “I do believe that the mill will reopen at some time, that I feel is for certain as the wood supply dries up in other parts of the province, but in the immediate future I think differently about Canfor in Mackenzie. I think this move to close the mill has been a Board of Directors decision.” Bell added, the executives of the company I feel do not feel the same (as the Board) and they see the value of continuing to operate in this community.”

Bell says the workforce is key “If they shut this operation down now, and the work force leaves, they will have a slim to none chance of attracting that work force back to this community at a later date.”

More than 440 people came to the meeting in the Curling Rink of the community. They sought answers to questions about where the community will go from here.

Brooks Benjy told the meeting that he would take a pay cut to keep the mill going. “My job is here, my family is here and I don’t want to have to go elsewhere to work. I like Mackenzie, I have been raising my family here.”

Many of the people attending said they were leaving the meeting feeling a little better about things "This is the first time anyone has said the word temporary" said one woman. Another Canfor employee says she fully expected to "hear a lot of B.S. and more lies, but now that they say the logs are supposed to come to the community and it would be too expensive to move them somewhere else, I feel a lot better."

Several speakers said they felt cheated to think that Jimmy Pattison who owns about 25% of Canfor can treat them this way. Canfor, they said, should have a social conscience and they haven’t shown it.

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Posted on Tuesday, June 19, 2007 04:01 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: RUEZ on June 19 2007 10:16 AM

I sympathize, but a mill won't run long if it's losing money. Even if it's trying to keep jobs in the community. Maybe the provincial government could help these small communities diversify. After all they gave themselves a nice fat raise, now they can do something to earn it.

Posted by: Parrothead on June 19 2007 10:48 AM

It's not about losing money - all mills are losing money right now. I believe the Canfor decision is one about supply. My understanding is that the Mackenzie mill is running live spruce instead of beetle kill pine. Given today's market and the glut of wood in it, does it make sense to cut living trees to make lumber in the BC interior? Probably not. Right now we need to process the beetle wood and leave the living trees for the future once the beetle wood is too far gone for lumber. The trees that Mackenzie are cutting are far too valuable to cut at today's prices and Canfor is saving them for future harvesting needs.

Posted by: lmorg on June 19 2007 11:02 AM

Turn the Mackenzie mill into an ethanol plant. Retrain the workers if needed.

If workers can stay on at a reduced wage, take the money the feds provided and use that to make up the difference in their wages. Then do the same for other parts of the province impacted by the same circumstances.

Posted by: crazyhorse on June 19 2007 11:26 AM

Why do you think Jimmy Patti son purchased 2 large sawmills in the states? I will tell you why so he can ship our raw logs without paying a penny to the states. It�s all about money and this boy doesn�t give a hoot about the workingman. This is the same man that had to be talked into paying a ransom when his daughter was kidnapped.
I was told years ago that if it were not for Unions we would be just like Mexico, except they would have to give us boots for the winter. That statement is becoming true as everyday passes. And where is the liberal government in all this as of most governments there hiding in Rich guys pockets and all they care about is lining there own.

Posted by: mythoughts on June 19 2007 7:42 PM

Canfor's mill in Mackenzie is closing because it losing the most money out of all of Canfor's mills to the tune of over $2 million every month. All the mills are losing money, but this one is losing lots, a lot more than the others. I work for Canfor & we expect more mills to be closing. This isn't then end. It's only the beginning. Jimmy Pattison is in the business of making money, not losing it. Social conscience will never play a part in his decisions to close mills and the shareholders expect nothing less.

Posted by: drivechain on June 20 2007 8:36 AM

Concessions and wages cuts are not the answer or the problem. The problem is the US housing market and the low price of lumber. The contractors and empolyees should not be held hostage.