Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests, has released the following statement regarding Canfor’s recent decisions to close Polar Sawmill, curtail a pulp line at Northwood Pulp and suspend reinvestment in its Houston mill:

“We are disappointed by the business decision made by Canfor today and the impacts that will be felt by families and communities in northern British Columbia. We will be there to support the workers’ families and communities impacted by this corporate decision.

“Workers shouldn’t bear the brunt of commodity cycles as they have been forced to for years. That’s why our government has been focused on stabilizing the sector.

“We will continue our work with the sector through initiatives such as the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund, which has led to investments in facilities throughout B.C., and the Forest Enhancement Society of BC supporting the pulp sector by bringing fibre in from the bush.

“The forest sector is a long-standing and foundational part of our province. We will keep working to ensure it supports workers and communities.”