The mayor of Ear Falls calls it heartbreaking.
In a Facebook post Thursday night Kevin Kahoot expressed concern for the families of his community impacted by an announcement by Interfor it will be shutting down its sawmill operation indefinitely.
The shutdown could impact as many as 150 workers according to one source.
The Ear Falls mayor notes they are working to support the families and he has been in touch with Premier Doug Ford to see what can be done to support those impacted.
In a release Interfor says, “When we refer to an “indefinite” curtailment, it means the downtime is temporary and will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis. We are not able to provide a specific timeline for resumption, as this will depend on market recovery.
“Duties and tariffs are one of many factors contributing to current market conditions. Broader economic uncertainty and trade barriers continue to affect the industry across North America.”
Interfor acquired the sawmill in 2022 when it acquired EACOM Timber Division.
Earlier this week U.S. President Donald Trump penalized the Canadian softwood lumber industry with an additional 10 per cent tariff. The B.C Lumber Council stated that Canadian softwood lumber entering the States get hits with a 45 per cent tax.
Interfor’s stock price ended the day trading at 8.35 when just over a month ago the stock price was over $13.00.
