Features Mills Sawmilling
Northern Ontario sawmills ramping up

Commenting on the rise in products at EACOM’s Ear Falls sawmill, Stephen Boon, Unifor National Representative said, “we are extremely pleased to see EACOM’s Ear Falls sawmill begin full production earlier this week adding a second shift on Monday, January 4th. The Ear Falls mill now employs 110 Unifor members with another 150 Unifor members working throughout its woodlands operations.”

There is also positive news for workers in Kenora, as Kenora Forest Products gets set to reopen its mill.

“The good news for the region’s forest sector continues as Kenora Forest Products is also making final preparations for a long awaited sawmill start-up by early February,” Boon added. “The Kenora operation has gone through a major expansion and upgrade over the last six months and a trial lumber production run will start in mid-January in order to start testing and fine tuning equipment for the initial resumption of operations on a one shift basis.”

“Kenora Forest Products will employ about 110 Unifor members by late spring and also become one of the highest paying sawmills in Eastern Canada with top pay rates for licensed trades increasing by 58.5% to $41.79 per hour by 2020. After a near collapse of the sawmill industry in 2008, we are extremely pleased to see the Kenora and Ear Falls sawmills gearing up production with hundreds of high paying, middle class jobs for Northwestern Ontario,” ‎Boon concluded.