Hundreds of people gathered in Kapuskasing, Ont., on Wednesday for a significant rally opposing the recent idling of the Kap Paper mill. The mill has served as a cornerstone of the community for more than a hundred years, but its future was thrown into uncertainty following a decision by its shareholders and board of directors to idle operations this past Monday, a move workers stated they did not anticipate. The rally drew a diverse and concerned crowd, including employees from the local GreenFirst sawmill that supplies essential by-products to Kap Paper, children who were let out of school to attend the historic event and mayors from several neighbouring communities – all united in their concern for the region’s economic future. Calls for government intervention intensify Organizers and political figures issued strong calls for immediate government investment in northern Ontario’s struggling forestry sector. Rally organizer and local mayor Dave Plourde vowed to escalate the protests if necessary. “If we have to do this at Queen’s Park, we will be doing it at Queen’s Park; if I have to drive to Ottawa and do it on the grounds, I guarantee you it will be a bigger crowd,” he said. Plourde expressed profound frustration with what he perceives as long-standing government neglect, pointedly highlighting a recent investment in another industry. “I think quite honestly, the forestry sector been taken for granted for far too long… just the reach out for Algoma Steel, you know, $500 million invested and on the same day we’re announcing idling… I don’t know if I want to call it ironic, but it’s it doesn’t make any sense,” he said. Accusations leveled at provincial government Guy Bourgouin, the NDP MPP for Mushkegowuk-James Bay, directly accused the provincial government of abandoning a critical project that would have secured the mill’s future – explaining that a long-term plan for a biomass plant or cogeneration facility, which had been supported until recently, was abruptly cancelled. “The Province of Ontario was working for a biomass plant here or a co-gen that would have took all the biomass… It was a long-term… it was supported all the way up to last Friday,” said Bourgouin. “Last Friday, (the) Ford government pulled the rug, ran under him, said, no, this is not our vision anymore.” Politicians emphasize national economic importance Cochrane Mayor Peter Politis framed the issue as one of vital national economic importance, arguing that the forest industry is fundamental to Canada’s economic sovereignty – issuing a powerful call for immediate strategic investment in the sector and its workforce. “Now’s not the time to divest from grassroots Canada,” Politis said. Wider regional impact immediately felt The idling of the Kap Paper mill is already having a severe and immediate cascading effect on the regional economy. The primary processors of the mill’s byproducts are now closing. GreenFirst sawmills located in Cochrane, Kapuskasing and Hearst have confirmed they will curtail their own operations soon – signalling the start of widespread economic disruption across the northern forestry sector.
