West Fraser Timber Co Ltd has announced the indefinite closure of its Skeena Sawmills facility in Terrace, British Columbia.
The company said that the strength of the Canadian dollar and low US housing starts were to blame, with any future start-up at the site “determined by market conditions”.
It added that the site’s planer will operate on a temporary basis for six weeks from October 29 in order to process existing rough lumber stocks.
The 20 full-time staff at the sawmill are to be reassigned to other duties within the company “wherever possible”, with 80 part-time staff losing their jobs.
“This was a very difficult decision for the company to make, but unfortunately it has become necessary due to market conditions,” said Skeena Sawmills general manager Lou Poulin.
