Brink Forest Products Lays Off 50 Employees at Prince George, BC, Plant

Brink Forest Products will lay off 50 employees at its Prince George, BC, finger-joint lumber plant, reducing its workforce from 85 employees to approximately 30 beginning this week, CBC News reported (9-5-26).

“We had to lay off 50 of those employees that have been with us which is a devastating experience for them,” CEO John Brink said.

Over the past year, Brink facilities in Vanderhoof and Houston have indefinitely ceased operations, resulting in more than 100 job losses. The company employed roughly 400 people across the three plants.

“In northern BC, it is a graveyard of sawmills through the communities,” Brink said. “Secondary manufacturers, in a lot of cases, rely on primary manufacturers for an input of fiber.”

“Since 2017, Brink has paid up to CA$100 million in duties and tariffs,” he said, adding that the company now faces approximately $1 million in monthly tariff-related costs, along with ongoing fiber supply challenges and limited access to financing.

With Canada set to impose retaliatory tariffs of 15%, 25%, or 50% on a number of US products starting September 8, Brink said costs could rise further. “Parts and pieces that we need imported from the United States, in a lot of cases, glues that we need for finger-joint and gluing things together, all of that may be subject to duties.”

Despite the challenges, Brink said the Prince George facility will continue operating at approximately 20% capacity.