Municipal officials in northern Ont. press for a broader forestry strategy

While celebrating the recent reprieve for Kap Paper, officials in northern Ontario say a long-term plan for the north’s forestry industry is urgently needed.

Kapuskasing Mayor Dave Plourde says after receiving good news on Friday, Kap Paper is slowly getting up and running again.

Plourde said the facility was idle for about six weeks after the board ran out of funds to pay employees. Now the community is relieved that the federal and provincial governments have stepped up with close to $29 million to get around 300 people back on the payroll.

Plourde said work is underway to plan for the operation’s future.

“We started yesterday morning, bright and early, on the commencement of that,” he said.

“It had already been in the works prior to that, but we’re having regular updates and we’re going to make sure that we have something in front of government very soon.”

Plourde, who is also chair of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, said the support is appreciated, but overall, northern Ontario’s forestry sector requires urgent and coordinated action to ensure long-term stability.

Long-term plan

A strategic plan is needed to protect forestry jobs in both northeastern and northwestern areas of the province, he added.

“Something that balances the wood basket that exists in those two regions and that ensures we’re able to saw the logs that are required to build homes,” Plourde said.

“You know, every community is crying about homes.”

With recent news of the indefinite closure of Interfor’s Ear Falls Mill in northwestern Ontario, the curtailment of Green First Forest Products operations in northeastern Ontario and closures of sawmills in British Columbia, Plourde said now, more than ever, the federal government must work at lightspeed to secure a fair and durable trade agreement with the U.S.