Global TV News — Trouble in B.C.’s forestry sector continues, with yet another curtailment being announced that could affect up to 800 workers.
Surrey-headquartered Teal Jones Group said Tuesday that it was halting all coastal logging operations in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island according to a report by Global TV News.
The company said low lumber prices, high stumpage rates and a weak market for B.C. wood is to blame. The curtailment is estimated to affect some 300 contractors.
Teal Jones also operates two mills and a shake and shingle plant in Surrey, employing about 500 people altogether.
Those facilities will remain in operation so long as they have inventory to work with.
Company spokesperson Gerrie Kotze is appealing to senior levels of government for help.
Teal Jones’ curtailment comes a day after West Fraser announced plans to reduce production at five B.C. sawmills by 15-25 percent and implement a two-week curtailment on plywood production.
The opposition BC Liberals laid the latest blow to the sector at the feet of the NDP government.
“Forestry jobs are being driven to the United States by this NDP government and every day that goes by without real action from government puts any chance of recovery at risk,” BC Liberal forestry critic John Rustad said in a media release.
See more HERE.