Kruger Pulp Mill (image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

KRUGER MILL

Kamloops’ Kruger mill ‘situated better than most:’ union

Feb 2, 2023 | 11:59 AM

KAMLOOPS — The forestry sector in British Columbia has been struggling with approximately 800 jobs being lost in the past few weeks as three separate mills have announced closures. Other mills have also been forced to enact curtailments or indefinite shutdowns as they wait for a steady supply of logs.

Despite those challenges across the province, the pulp mill in Kamloops is still turning a profit according to Kruger officials.

Union representative Wes Mitchell was just in Prince George where 300 mill workers will soon be out of a job but agreed the Kamloops plant is in a good spot.

“I’m worried about the forest industry in general, but I think we are situated better than most,” agreed Mitchell. “I don’t think we have anything to panic about. The company has a plan and we are backing them up as much as we can. There are some hurdles with the government, some government inaction in our opinion. There are lots of promises but we haven’t seen much action yet. They have some ideas but we would like to see some come to fruition.”

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The Kruger mill directly employs 340 fulltime workers, while also supporting various spin-off industries throughout the region. The main concern for the union is the fiber supply across British Columbia. While it may look like the mill is fully stocked, the current supply of fiber would only last 17 days if the trucks stopped rolling in.

“The fiber issues are the issues. The government has come up with some ideas through the help of some of the forestry outfits and some of us. We have written some letters and given some ideas. We have had some feedback; our MLAs have been really good talking to us and getting back to us. There are some ideas out there and some coalitions talking about it, but it’s time sensitive. The longer we wait, the more mills go down, the more people are out of work, the less money they spend at the restaurants and what not,” said Mitchell.