Weyerhaeuser is laying off 2,200 workers in British Columbia during July in response to the poor market.
The company said it was facing weak demand in Asia, oversupply and softwood lumber duties in the US, a rising Canadian dollar and high labour costs and stumpage rates.
Its New Westminster mill will temporarily close for two weeks while two Vancouver Island facilities will be shut for a total of four weeks. The Somass and Island Phoenix mills will be closed for four weeks and the Alberni Pacific division for three weeks.
In addition, work at all five of Weyerhaeuser’s Crown timberland operations will stop during July.
British Columbia will have up to 12,500 coastal forest workers laid off at the beginning of July, with 33 out of the 35 coastal mills either closed or operating reduced shifts.
