Témiscaming has a new mayor, as former councillor Alain Gauthier took over the position after Pierre Gingras resigned in December.
With Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) closing one of its plants this past year, the loss of 275 jobs still reverberates throughout the community. Asked if working with RYAM remains a primary focus for mayor and council, Gauthier said, “It’s a focus, but I’ll be honest with you, it’s equal with other focuses.”
Indeed, the mayor emphasized the town is focusing on diversifying the town’s economy, increasing tourism, and fostering community spirit to bind the town together. And yes, working with RYAM will also remain a priority for the administration.
The mayor added, “There were 275 jobs lost, and I don’t want to diminish that, but there are still 650 or 660 jobs at the plant, so my priority is to keep what’s left.”
See: Témiscaming welcomes new mayor. RYAM resolution on the agenda
As for what was lost, the closure of the High Purity Cellulose plant this past July, bringing that back is an uphill challenge, one the mayor noted “Is going to be complicated, long, and uncertain.”
There was talk from Unifor Local 233 that the union, government, or a combination of the two could buy the plant back and bring back those lost jobs. However, Gauthier emphasized that the global market has become so competitive it’s difficult to make decent margins in the pulp business, and plants must run at almost 100 per cent efficiency to make money.
This requires massive investments to upgrade, and in some situations, its more money than its worth.
See: Union leader wants RYAM to sell as layoffs begin
Mayor Gauthier knows the business, having worked at Tembec for years, and managing the very plant that was recently close. After his time at Tembec, he worked around Ontario, Quebec, and throughout the US as a consultant for around a decade, focusing on improving businesses’ management, organization, and leadership.
“We have to keep very focused,” the mayor added, “And I want to rebuild our relations with Rayonier, because right now, after all that’s been going on, and the things that have been said, there is no communication with Rayonier.”
The mayor noted that before, the town and Rayonier used to have quarterly meetings. He emphasized, “Rebuilding those communications is my priority. Make sure what’s left is secure. Work with everybody, including the union to secure that. Then we can see what we can do with the other plant that’s shut down.”
See: It’s official, RYAM lays off 275 workers at Témiscaming plant
The mayor noted a committee has been struck, which is asking the Ministry of Industry to finance a study that presents options for that abandoned plant. However, he emphasized the need for all parties to be on the same page through that process.
“Economic development and diversification will be a priority,” Mayor Gauthier said, adding, “The plant’s closure was an awakening that we had too many of our eggs in the same basket. Anything can happen, so that’s why diversity remains a priority.”
On that note, the mayor mentioned a new business opened in town recently, and one of the local restaurants also recently changed ownership. The town has the rail line, and plenty of available land to help attract business.
The mayor said, “We have a lot to offer, but how do we market this to the world?” The town is also working on that, as the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue is working on a strategy to attract business. The town’s Economic and Tourism Committees are also working hard to spread the word that Témiscaming remains open for business.
The new mayor also wants to prioritize “The sense of community, living together, being together and being good neighbours and good citizens.” He also wants to ensure council and the town “Remain transparent and improve our communication with our people.”
He added the town recently hired some new administration staff to help with those goals, one of which will help organize and promote cultural and leisure events within town. The mayor noted, “We want to improve the quality and diversity of activities in town.”
Mayor Gauthier continued, “We want to involve people, we want them to understand that this is their town, its our community, and we help each other.”
Despite the job losses and the plant closure, “We’re still here, we’re still alive, and we want to be back on the map.”
“Come and see us, sometime,” Mayor Gauthier added.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.