Sawmill production across the country at 13 locations, including the Prince George Sawmill, will be curtailed during the fourth quarter by Canfor.
The company announced Nov. 1 they would temporarily cut back due to log supply constraints, log costs and current market conditions. The curtailment is expected to reduce Canfor's British Columbia production output by about 10 per cent throughout the fourth quarter in 2018.
“We have made the difficult decision to curtail our B.C. sawmill operations over the fourth quarter due to log supply challenges following another difficult wildfire season, uncompetitive log costs and declining lumber prices,” Don Kayne, president and chief executive officer, says in a news release. “We are working to mitigate impacts on our employees as much as possible.”
The lumber production is expected to be reduced over the quarter through a decrease in operating days. Canfor says this will be achieved through immediate short-term curtailments at some facilities, as well as extended downtime at Christmas.
Employees of United Steelworkers 1-2017 in Prince George recently went on picket lines due to stalled negotiations between Conifer and the union. The action in Prince George came after rotating strikes began on Oct. 17, with the first being Tolko Lakeview in Williams Lake. At that time, all other Conifer operations were under an overtime ban.
