Canfor Pulp Products Inc. announced it will be permanently closing the pulp line at its Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill.
The specialty paper facility at the mill will continue to operate, a statement issued by Canfor Pulp on Wednesday said. The closure is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of this year, resulting in approximately 300 jobs lost.
“In recent years, several sawmills have permanently closed in the Prince George region due to reductions in the allowable annual cut and challenges accessing cost-competitive fibre,” Canfor Pulp president and CEO Kevin Edgson said in a statement released Wednesday.” This has had a material impact on the availability of residual fibre for our pulp facilities and we need to right-size our operating platform. As a result, we have made the very difficult decision to shut down the pulp line at Prince George Pulp and Paper Mill and will continue to operate the Specialty Paper facility.
The closure is expected to reduce Canfor Pulp’s production by 280,000 tonnes of market kraft pulp annually.
“We greatly appreciate our valued team members who have been helping to navigate a very challenging business environment,” Edgson added. “We understand and regret the impact today’s announcement has on our employees, their families, the businesses that support our operations, and the local community. We will be working in the weeks and months ahead to support our employees through this transition.”
