QUESNEL, B.C.: Quesnel River Pulp has announced the curtailing of operations until at least November, and nearly 100 more workers face an uncertain future under the NDP’s managed decline of our forestry industry.

Quesnel River Pulp has announced a temporary curtailment that affects 90 workers. And “temporary” could become permanent if market conditions remain unfavourable. Dozens of mills have already shut down and under the NDP there is no sign that market conditions will improve.

“This is devastating news for Quesnel,” said Sheldon Clare, MLA for Prince George-North Cariboo. “These are 90 good-paying jobs in a community that depends on forestry. The community would see a huge drop in economic benefit, and local government could see a significant drop in tax revenue. This curtailment will hurt people and businesses.”

“Forestry Minister Ravi Parmar’s idea of a ‘transition’ is nothing but the destruction of British Columbia’s forestry industry,” said Ward Stamer, Shadow Minister for Forestry. “Mill workers, loggers, fallers and forestry families should not be forced to pay the price for a government that has abandoned them.”

“Yet again, it is B.C. workers who pay the price for NDP policy failures,” said Kiel Giddens, Shadow Minister for Labour. “The NDP talk a big game about protecting workers, but they are presiding over the demise of the industries that workers rely on. The B.C. Conservatives will not give up on workers, and we are committed to making B.C. forestry competitive once again and restoring lost opportunities.”

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