Quesnel families brace as pulp mill idles 90 workers

Mayor Ron Paull said he has rarely seen this level of economic worry during his many years in public service.

“I started on management staff back in 1973, and I can’t recall as much uncertainty in the economic market as there is at the present,” Paull said.

The mayor said the company is still paying employee benefits and letting workers use their vacation time to help them get through this. He hopes the closure really is temporary, but admits the effects will be felt throughout the community.

“Many businesses here don’t just depend on the mill. They rely on the whole forestry, timber, and lumber industry,” Paull said. “Even a temporary shutdown is going to have an impact.”

Paull emphasized that the shutdown was not caused by decisions made locally or by the province.

“This isn’t because of local, municipal, or provincial policy. It’s all about the market, which is far beyond our city’s control and even beyond the province’s control,” he said.

The effects go beyond workers’ pay and also affect the town’s finances. Quesnel relies heavily on industrial taxes, and City Manager Joel McKay said forestry provides much of that revenue.

“Quesnel is the most industrial-tax-exposed municipality in the province of B.C.,” McKay said. “Approximately 53 percent of our revenue comes from industrial tax. And it’s really just one industry, which is forestry.”

McKay said if the shutdown lasts a long time, City Hall may have to make some tough decisions.

“If we lost that industrial revenue, we would have to either pass that whole 53 percent onto residents or cut services,” he said, mentioning arts, recreation, parks, roads, and even public safety and policing.

McKay said the city has prepared for this kind of situation. Council asked staff to create a broad plan for what the city would do if a major industry shut down, and to keep taxes low while helping local businesses where possible.

“It’s not the end of the world for our community, but it’s a big blow,” McKay said. “It makes things harder, and it really means we have to look for other ways to keep services going.”

This shutdown is the latest problem for B.C.’s forestry sector, which has faced many mill closures, production cuts, and job losses in recent years. Prince George-North Cariboo MLA Sheldon Clare said the closure will hurt local people, businesses, and government tax revenue. B.C. Conservative forestry critic Ward Stamer and Shadow Labour Minister Kiel Giddens have blamed provincial policy for the industry’s decline. The provincial government says changes are needed as the sector adjusts to changing markets and timber supply issues.

For now, Quesnel is waiting. The shutdown is expected to last until at least November.

by Dave Branco

Quesnel families brace as pulp mill idles 90 workers

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