British Columbia Premier David Eby is actively exploring solutions to assist a closing pulp mill on Vancouver Island without resorting to harvesting the province’s old-growth trees. Eby is scheduled to meet with the union leader representing the 350 Domtar workers facing job losses and the mayor of Crofton, B.C., where the mill is situated.
Eby mentioned that a team from the Ministry of Jobs will visit the community to explore retraining and employment opportunities for the affected workers. The closure of the mill was announced by Domtar, attributing it to ongoing low prices for pulp and challenges in accessing affordable fiber.
Acknowledging the impact of government restrictions on old-growth tree harvesting in escalating prices and limiting fiber access on Vancouver Island, Eby defended the restrictions as necessary. He also highlighted the role of increasing transportation costs and U.S. tariffs in the mill closure, expressing the government’s commitment to collaborating with the company to seek sustainable solutions for maintaining employment at the mill.
Eby emphasized the government’s focus on long-term, viable solutions rather than short-term fixes, rejecting the notion of sacrificing old-growth trees for temporary relief.