RYAM Announces Indefinite Closure of Témiscaming, QC, Complex

Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) informed employees that it intends to indefinitely close its Témiscaming, Quebec, industrial complex on September 15, affecting approximately 450 unionized workers, The North Bay Nugget reported (8-27-26).

RYAM attributed the decision to US tariffs imposed on Canadian goods, saying the resulting business environment had made continued operations at the site economically unsustainable.

RYAM spokesperson Alexandre Boucher told The Nugget Thursday that the shutdown will affect all site operations except the wastewater treatment plant and Boiler No. 4, which will continue operating. The duration of the shutdown remains undetermined.

Boucher said RYAM could reconsider the closure if the tariff situation changes. Boucher said:

“This decision is the result of a business environment that has become unsustainable, making continued operations simply no longer economically viable. Despite all the efforts we have made to adapt to this new reality, the magnitude of the tariffs, no longer allows us to operate the site under sustainable conditions.”

“We fully recognize the impact this decision will have on our employees, their families and the entire Témiscaming community, a single-industry region. We are committed to keeping them informed as the situation evolves and of the efforts we continue to pursue to create the conditions necessary for operations to resume.”