Arbec Hopes to Partially Reopen Port-Cartier, QC, Sawmill in September
Some of the 178 Arbec employees laid off in Port-Cartier are expected to return to work in September, as operations at the sawmill gradually resume, according to Radio-Canada (8-5-25). However, the outlook for the broader forest products sector remains uncertain, warns Pierre Cormier, co-president of the Rémabec group.
The Port-Cartier facility has been idle for two months. At the time of the shutdown, Rémabec cited the ongoing trade dispute with the US and access to the territory.
Cormier remains cautious about the future of Rémabec’s operations across Quebec, including Port-Cartier, which holds strategic importance due to its role in supplying forest residuals to two other plants: Carbonity, which produces biochar, and Bioénergie AE, which makes biofuel.
The sawmill is expected to resume activity once Carbonity and Bioénergie AE need to replenish their feedstock. While a reopening is likely, the timing and duration remain uncertain. “The planets have to align,” Cormier said.
FEA compiles the Wood Markets News from various 3rd party sources to provide readers with the latest news impacting forest product markets. Opinions or views expressed in these articles do not necessarily represent those of FEA.