New steps taken to ensure mill is built in Fort St. James

FORT ST. JAMES — Forest Minister Doug Donaldson has taken steps to ensure a new lumber mill will be built in Fort St. James, where a recent mill closure devastated the community.
Donaldson says he has approved the transfer of a forest licence and road permits from the now-shuttered Conifex mill to Fort St. James Forest Products, a subsidiary of Hampton Lumber.
In exchange, Hampton has pledged to building a new mill within the next three years in the region 160 kilometres northwest of Prince George.
Fort St. James declared a state of local financial crisis in July, just weeks after the Conifex sawmill was closed and sold to Hampton Lumber, affecting more than 200 jobs.