Last Major Sawmill in Western Nova Scotia Shutting Down

Richard Freeman, Co-Owner of Harry Freeman & Son Ltd., announced on Thursday (4-9), that the Greenfield-based sawmill could no longer afford to operate due a lack of markets for their wood chips following the closure of the Northern Pulp mill earlier in the year.  The company said the decision is a direct result of the closure of Northern Pulp, which was Freeman’s “most critical customer.” The closure will mean the loss of ~ 150 jobs and ~ $1 million dollars each week in the local economy in Queens County and will spill over into the broader forest industry. Freeman said in a recent phone interview, “It’s terribly troubling. Many of these people we’ve dealt with for generations. We deal with people I can remember my grandfather dealing with. These people are like family to us and it’s heart-wrenching.”