Hundreds of workers at Domtar’s Howe Sound Pulp and Paper Mill on the Sunshine Coast, who were previously told they’d be losing their jobs, got some good news Thursday. In a statement to CTV News, Domtar said with provincial government support in place, its mill in Port Mellon will reopen after a shutdown for scheduled maintenance. “Domtar welcomes the government’s decision to work collaboratively with the Howe Sound mill at a time when British Columbia’s forest sector is facing extraordinary pressures,” the statement reads, in part. The news comes after Domtar announced in August that the mill would be closing indefinitely, impacting 400 direct jobs. “It’s immense relief for our community, not only in the short term, but the long term,” said Gibsons Mayor Silas White. “The uncertainty that this has caused, people’s lives have already been turned upside down.” White said the target date for the mill to reopen is around mid-October, and that it is expected to be in full production by Nov. 1. “It’s better to keep these places operating and workers earning paycheques than to see ghost towns pop up all over the province, and so we’re glad this is a good news story for once,” said Gavin McGarrigle, western regional director for Unifor. He said the deal between Domtar and the province involved rebates and differing pricing on energy, but he did not have specifics. CTV News contacted the province for details on the deal and the costs, but did not receive a response by deadline.
