Shown is Canfor’s closed Vavenby sawmill. (File photo)

Shown is Canfor’s closed Vavenby sawmill. (File photo)

Canfor announces permanent closure of Isle Pierre Mill

The company also announced curtailments at their pulp mills in Prince George.

  • May. 20, 2020 12:00 a.m.

Canfor is permanently closing their Isle Pierre Mill near Prince George, the company announced Wednesday.

In a May 20 news release, officials said the closure will take effect in the third quarter of 2020. The reason for closure is “insufficient supply of economically viable timber following the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic, coupled with major global economic downturn as a result of COVID-19.”

Isle Pierre sawmill has an annual production capacity of approximately 120 million board feet and is currently a one-shift operation.

Additionally, the company also announced Wednesday that they will be curtailing operations at the Prince George Pulp and Paper and Intercontinental Pulp, for approximately four weeks starting July 6.

This curtailment will reduce Canfor Pulp’s production output by approximately 38,000 tonnes of market kraft pulp and 12,000 tonnes of kraft paper, officials said.

Don Kayne, president and CEO of Canfor Corporation was quoted in the release saying that the company will “work hard to redeploy as many employees as possible to other opportunities throughout the company.”

READ MORE: Canfor closes Houston and Plateau mills temporarily


Aman Parhar
Editor, Vanderhoof Omineca Express
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