West Fraser announces temporary forestry production curtailments in B.C.

Jun 3, 2019 | 4:17 PM

VANCOUVER — West Fraser Timber Co. Ltd. says all mill activities will be curtailed temporarily for a week in June at five British Columbia sawmills due to weakening lumber prices and high log costs.

The Vancouver-based company says the production curtailments will take place at sawmills in Chetwynd, Quesnel, Williams Lake, Smithers and Fraser Lake.

About 30 million board feet of lumber is expected to be reduced during the week.

Lumber production is expected to be cut by approximately 30 million board feet.

West Fraser has implemented temporary and permanent capacity curtailments of about 125 million and 300 million board feet respectively over the past six months, including Monday’s announcement.

Interfor recently announced it would cut back on operations for June, joining in the temporary curtailments already rolled out by Canfor.

Tolko said in mid-May it would shut down its Quesnel, B.C., mill altogether at a loss of 150 jobs and eliminate a shift at its Kelowna, B.C. mill for another 90 jobs gone.

 

Companies in this story: (TSX:WFT, TSX:IFP, TSX:CFP)

The Canadian Press

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