Chetwynd Mayor Looking for Answers

By 250 News

The Mayor of Chetwynd , Evan Saugstad,  says he had been advised ahead of time, that Canfor was planning to  indefinitely close the sawmill in his  community.  “It wasn’t unexpected,  afterall, everyone knows the mills have been losing money” says Saugstad, “But it will have a major impact on our community, as  once  you take into the account all the woodlands jobs, we’re looking at a loss of 250-300 jobs in total.”

Saugstad says he has already touched base with the community’s MLA Blair Lekstrom (for Peace River South), to see if there is anything the Province can do to assist Chetwynd.  He also plans to be in contact with the Mayor’s of Mackenzie and Fort St. James to see  what advice they can offer as the two  communities are also dealing with indefinite closures.

Saugstad  says the workers at the mill had  really pulled together “The mill is older, but the workers had  done a great deal to  make it competitive, so this news is very  disappointing.”

The Canfor sawmill is one of three mills in the community,  there is one other sawmill, operated by West Fraser, and a pulp mill operated by Tembec.

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