It's expected John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry will be bringing good news to Rutherglen tomorrow when he holds a news conference at Columbia Forest Products. A news release terms it, "a major Forestry announcement."
He'll be joined by Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development and Mike Harris Jr., the Parliamentary Assistant to Yakabuski.
The event takes place at 10 a.m.
See: Columbia Forest Products hoping to re-open soon
The hardwood veneer mill was crippled late January when officials became aware of a serious issue with the facility's roof causing the evacuation of the mill and stopping production until it could be assessed.
“On January 28th, we had several purlins (horizontal beams) crack in our ceiling,” Chris Daur, plant manager said at the time.
“The main structure is roughly 100 feet wide by 500 feet long and there are main girder beams that are 20 feet apart they are perfectly fine. It’s the smaller dimensional timbers in between that started to crack.
The facility was shut down and workers put temporarily out of work.
The facility has had its challenges in the past. After shutting down in 2010, the mill reopened again in 2015 due to an improving hardwood veneer market.
See: Columbia Forest Products to reopen Rutherglen Hardwood Veneer Plant
Citing improving markets for rotary hardwood veneer in North America, Gary Gillespie, Vice President of Columbia Forest Products’ Northern Operations, announced in 2015 that Columbia was in the intermediate stages of preparing for a reopening.
The facility was shut down back in 2010.
See: Columbia Forest Products Rutherglen mill faces indefinite idling
Columbia Forest Products in Rutherglen employs 75 workers including production, maintenance, and office staff.
BayToday will provide full coverage of the announcement Thursday.
With files from Chris Dawson.
