As the disastrous duo of low lumber prices and lack of affordable fiber hammer the wood industry in B.C., we’re seeing additional mill closures on the horizon. Canfor plans to permanently shut down their Prince George pulp line. Canfor will also close its mills in Chetwyndand and Houston. Speculated for permanent closure are Canfor’s Taylor mill, and one of West Frasier’s pulp mills in Quesnel.
B.C. invested heavily in pellet production in the wake of the pine beetle infestation in 2009. With that ready source of fiber gone, pellet mills are competing with pulp mills and sawmills. Pellet mills don’t require as many jobs but consume a large amount of wood.
Source: https://biv.com/article/2023/02/more-mill-closures-inevitable-bc-forest-industry-crisis-deepens