Western Forest Products Confirms Chemainus Sawmill Production Has Been Curtailed

Western Forest Products (WFP) has confirmed that their Chemainus Sawmill is under a production curtailment. When at full production, the mill operates with two full shifts, and neither shift is currently working.

WFP’s Senior Director of Communications, Babita Khunkhun confirmed that the curtailment began last Wednesday, February 2, 2022. Khunkhun stated that “Log supply is temporarily constrained by weather and harvest conditions which have led to a temporary log shortage.” Khunkhun indicated that WFP is working hard to secure supply to operate mills consistently and productively.

Khunkhun added that “Chemainus primarily processes Western Red Cedar. And that there was approximately one million (cubic meters) less cedar harvest on the coast last year than the average between 2015-2018.”

Khunkhun also noted that “We ran alternate species at the Chemainus mill in 2021 to address chronic log supply shortages. Log supply challenges are also impacting our Alberni Pacific Division mill and Duke Point sawmill, where we have also had to adjust operations as a result.”

No timetable as to when the mill might resume operations has been provided at this time.