The Honourable David Eby
Premier of British Columbia
Room 156, Parliament Buildings
Victoria, BC V8V 1X4
Subject: Urgent Action Required Regarding Permanent Closure of Crofton Pulp Mill
Dear Premier Eby:
On December 2, 2025, Domtar notified Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC) Locals 2 and 8 that the company will permanently close its pulp and paper mill in Crofton, British Columbia.
This affects about 350 employees directly and an additional 1,500 workers indirectly employed by subcontractors, including truck drivers, mechanical contractors, motel owners, restaurants, shopkeepers, and many other jobs related to services and products required to maintain the mill. This development will significantly impact other rural towns, as there are currently no alternative industries available to replace the family-supporting, union jobs that are being lost in Crofton.
The closure of the Crofton mill will have a substantial effect on the people within the community. Historically, mill closures have been linked to a rise in divorce rates among affected families. In addition to relationship strain, negative health outcomes often emerge, with individuals experiencing heightened stress and related health problems.
While some eventually manage to overcome these difficulties, many continue to struggle with the repercussions for years following the closure. The long-term challenges faced by workers, their families, and the broader community highlight the profound and lasting consequences of such events.
The official reason the employer provided for the mill closure was uneconomical fibre supply and land use policies. These are problems we have known about for decades. Uncertainty within the forest industry has resulted in decreased reinvestment, and the prevailing global economic conditions have further exacerbated the situation.
Five to seven log ships arrive on Vancouver Island weekly and raw logs are loaded to be processed elsewhere daily. It is evident that government policies have led to job exports without much consideration for workers, communities, or the resulting sawmill and pulp mill closures that have occurred over the past two decades.
The export of raw logs is likely to persist with the exact same results as long as it remains more economically advantageous than operating mills within Canada. This ongoing practice perpetuates the loss of local jobs, as logs that could be processed domestically continue to be shipped elsewhere for added value. Without changes to the current economic incentives and policy landscape, communities dependent on mill operations will continue to face severe repercussions, including job losses and broader negative effects on families and local economies.
It is essential for governments, workers, and employers to collaborate and create a sustainable renewable forestry industry with policies that are beneficial for towns like Crofton.
We have arrived at this juncture, and on behalf of our affiliate PPWC, we respectfully request the following from you:
• All possible steps should be taken to protect and preserve the 1,500 jobs at the Crofton pulp mill.
• The government should immediately propose any available incentives to help prevent the permanent closure of the Crofton mill.
• The Federal and Provincial governments should meet with the employer and the unions to discuss ways to increase fibre supply for the mill.
• The mill should be maintained to preserve equipment and safeguard the environment until operations resume, a new operator is found, or a long-term use for the site is determined.
• Financial assistance should be directed toward employees and the local community to mitigate the effects of the closure.
In addition, we urge the development of a comprehensive transition plan for affected workers, including retraining opportunities and support for those seeking alternative employment within the region. Investment in community infrastructure and diversification initiatives is key to ensuring the long-term resilience of towns like Crofton and mitigating the socio-economic impacts of mill closures.
Please do not hesitate to contact and follow up:
Geoff Dawe
President, Public and Private Workers of Canada (PPWC)
nationalpresident@ppwc.ca
ppwc.ca
Thank you very much for your time attention on this matter.
Sincerely,
Shawn Campbell
President, Confederation of Canadian Unions (CCU)
president@ccu-csc.ca
ccu-csc.ca
CC: Ravi Parmar
Jennifer Whiteside
John Zerucelli
Tim Hodgson
Dominic Leblanc
