Even as the curtailment at the Chemainus Sawmill continues, North Cowichan’s mayor says the municipality is looking to strengthen the local economy by supporting good jobs.
According to Rob Douglas, a meeting between MP Jeff Kibble and senior members of Western Forest Products was conducted to determine the best avenue to strengthen the local industry and protect good, local, family-supporting jobs in the region.
Douglas says the industry is not in the municipality’s jurisdiction, but all levels of government have an important role to play in establishing a new agreement to grow the economy.
“While forestry policy largely falls under provincial jurisdiction, the federal government has a critical role to play, whether through negotiating a renewed softwood lumber agreement with the United States, or by ensuring that lumber produced in BC is prioritized in Canada,” he says.
He says prioritizing lumber produced in BC will help Canada’s new “Building Canada Homes” initiative aiming to produce 500,000 affordable homes
The curtailment at the Chemainus Sawmill was announced on Jun. 18, which Douglas says is a result of an inability to find suitable materials.
Last year Western Forest Products reduced lumber production by approximately 30 million board feet, which they say was due to market challenges.
