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B.C. minister pledges support for workers after Canfor closures

B.C. Minister of Forests Bruce Ralston has vowed to support workers and communities impacted by Canfor’s decision to permanently close its Plateau and Fort St. John sawmills.

“We will be there to support workers and communities,” Ralston said, adding that the province is “taking action to create opportunities needed in the forestry sector.”

Ralston criticized the U.S. Department of Commerce’s increased softwood lumber duties, which he says are worsening conditions already strained by low lumber prices, wildfires, and the end of the mountain pine beetle harvest.

The minister highlighted ongoing efforts to boost local wood manufacturing and attract private investment, emphasizing the need for collaboration with First Nations and local communities to secure a sustainable future for B.C.’s forestry sector.

Read the minister’s full statement.