Tolko Announces Permanent Elimination of Second Shift at Its Soda Creek Sawmill Facility

Sixty-five employees at Tolko’s Soda Creek Sawmill will be without work, as the company announces its plans to permanently eliminate the second work shift, according to a local report by “CFJC Today” (4-17-23). Tolko says it will work with its employees to determine a date for the change.

In a news release cited by “CFJC Today,” Tolko’s Vice President of Solid Wood Operations Troy Connolly said, “A lack of available economic fiber in the province, high log costs, and weak markets are impacting our ability to be fully operational. While our goal is to ensure consistency and stability for all of our operations, the steep decline in lumber demand and upward cost pressures in the province makes the decision necessary.”

In addition to the Soda Creek change, Tolko announced last week that its Armstrong sawmill facility was temporarily going from a 2-shift a day operation to a single shift operation effective April 17th. Sixty-five Armstrong employees have also been impacted.

Connolly added that “This downtime will affect many employees in these operations. We do not make these decisions without a lot of consideration. We have an extremely committed workforce at these locations whose families and communities rely on Tolko. We will continue to support our employees during these challenging times.”