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By Caden Fanshaw

Forestry

Forestry policy under fire following announcement of PG Pulp Mill shutdown

Jan 16, 2023 | 6:36 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – In the last 15 months, four pulp mills in BC have shuttered as a result of a lack of fibre, a figure even worse than projected by forestry economists.

Record-breaking forest fires, a mountain pine beetle epidemic, and an environmental push to restrict and safe parts of BC’s forests for caribou all factors in a consistent decline in available fibre for mills.

With the fibre that is left, critics argue there is still a lot that can be done.

Former BC Minister of Forests Pat Bell argued the province can still find a way for Canfor to reverse their decision on PG Pulp Mill operations but they must act fast.

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“The disappointing part of this is it didn’t have to happen,” said Bell.

Bell said during his time as BC’s Minister of Forests, he successfully restarted multiple pulp mills, including the one in Mackenzie, which shuttered in 2008 before being restarted.

The BC Pulp and Paper Coalition agreed, there is still reason for optimism going foward.

Joe Nemeth, former President and CEO of Canfor Pulp, now the Manager of the BC Pulp and Paper Coalition said he sees a solution forthcoming that could bring back hundreds of millions of dollars into BC’s economy.

According to Nemeth, one pulp mill brings about $100m annually to the province.

Provincially at $3.9 billion in 2021, pulp and paper were B.C.’s fourth most valuable export. The pulp sector provincially provided roughly 11,000 high-paying jobs last year.

Pattison Media is owned by Jim Pattison, a majority shareholder in Canfor.