Friday, February 22, 2008 03:59 AM
Tolko has announced some temporary curtailments at all four of its Cariboo lumber operations.
A minimum two-week curtailment will begin March 3, affecting more than 1,100 direct and contractor employees at three mills in Williams Lake and one in Quesnel. Nearly 40 million board feet, or one billion board feet on an annual basis, will be removed from the marketplace.
“These decisions are never easy and they are even more difficult when our employees, mills and contractors have performed so well,” says Rob Fraser, General Manager, Cariboo and Alberta Lumber. “Unfortunately, the current economic conditions do not support the continued operation of our mills at their current levels.”
A return to operation for all four mills will depend on market improvements.
2008 has seen Tolko take plenty of action.
January 10th, Tolko announces temporary sawmill curtailment of it’s Manitoba division between January 28 and February 8. 110 employees impacted
February 11th Tolko announces indefinite closure of High Prairie OSB mill 119 employees
February 18th Tolko extends the downtime at two panel operations in Armstrong and White Valley ( near Vernon) 300 workers impacted
February 22nd, Tolko announces curtailment at four Cariboo lumber operations, 1100 direct and indirect workers impacted
In all cases, the curtailments or closures are being blamed on poor market conditions.
More mill closures.
I just have to ask what are the laid off mill workers going to do? Move to Vancouver? Live where? They can't afford to buy any housing here and who would buy their old house anyway. Maybe they could work construction for a year or two and then what? I think its more likely that these people will go work in Alberta in the oil patch and probably retain ownership of their home.
No comments:
Post a Comment