Canfor Gives Mackenzie Reprieve

Friday, July 27, 2007 02:45 PM

More than 300 jobs at Canfor’s Mackenzie sawmill have been spared.

Canfor has made a decision on the Mackenzie Mill’s “indefinite” shutdown.

The company has decided it will close the old, small mill, but will maintain the “A” mill and will triple shift that facility. The decision means 320 jobs will be maintained.

There will be reduced production however, there will be changes to the mill’s efficiencies.

The decision means there will still be job losses, about 130 people will be displaced. There will be retirement packages offered and the Company says it will do what it can to find positions for employees throughout the Canfor operations.

It also means there is job certainty for the community partners , including the logging contractors, who rely so heavily on the Canfor operations in Mackenzie.

Prince George North MLA Pat Bell says the Mackenzie team worked extremely hard to achieve this result. “The employees have all worked hard to find ways to increase the efficiencies, the management team has really pulled together, and this is a victory for everyone. It is their day to celebrate.”

Canfor has just released its second quarter results which show a continued loss. This quarter, the loss was $38.8 million, down from the first quarter loss of $42.7 million.

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