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THE
PRINCE
GEORGE
CITIZEN
FRIDAY, JUNE 22, 2012
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Tory
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CANADA
14
Tech CEO buys slice of paradise
WORLD 20
LAKELAND MILLS TRAGEDY
Timber reform will decide mill’s fate
Frank PEEBLES Citizen staff fpeebles@pgcitizen.ca
Try
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with a
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twist
FOOD 27
The amount of trees left to cut in area forests will determine if Lakeland Mills rebuilds, a special committee made up of MLAs was told Thursday in Prince George by Sinclar Group president Greg Stewart.
“The conditions to rebuild are favourable, but the outcome of this process plays a large part in that final decision,” said Stewart to the seven MLAs touring the province to examine timber supply.
“We believe our currently available fibre supply would sustain a new mill.”
There are three variables, however, to making that final decision.
One is the findings of the ongoing insurance company probe into the incident, followed by the findings of the ongoing WorkSafeBC investigation into the incident. Lastly, the provincial government - guided by the recommendations of the timber supply review committee - could take away some or all of the trees Lakeland is allowed to cut for milling operations.
The Lakeland Mills sawmill was destroyed by a fatal explosion and fire on April 23, similar to how the Babine Forest Products sawmill was destroyed in January.
Committee deputy-chair Norm MacDonald, MLA for Columbia River-Revelstoke, said the calls for timber supply reform was especially passionate in the Lakes District where Babine was based, and he saw a similar level of concern in Prince George.
“What’s been emphasized again and again is the need for caution,” MacDonald said.
“There is no silver bullet, there is no home run solution. We are looking at incremental
CITIZEN FILE PHOTO
Lakeland Mills is seen after an explosion and fire that took place on April 23.
changes. The questions and concerns around fibre are real, but all of our recommendations have to be based on what is scientifically sound, sustainable and long-lasting.”
The committee also heard from grassroots stakeholders like the Salmon River Farmers Institute and individuals like James Steidle.
“We have to understand that there are other values in the forest. We have to slow down and manage this resource more carefully,” Steidle said.
“That said, I work with wood every day, I am part of a forest industry. We just have to put more sense into how we do this. I was watching 200-year-old Douglas fir sold for pulp and plywood. As a carpenter and woodworker, that was a real waste.”
Mayor Shari Green attended the meeting and presented the City of Prince George’s views. She stressed the need to make timber supply decisions that minimized the current pain to mills that employed area residents but not at the expense of long-term viability.
“You have companies that have already made adjustments in the face of the economic challenges the industry has gone through,” she said. “You don’t want to penalize those who have been proactive when others have not implemented such foresight.”
Stewart said Sinclar Group closed its Winton Global lumber company completely mostly because of the shrinking timber supply. Sin-clar was able to keep its other operations, especially Lakeland, afloat by redistributing the amount they were allowed to cut to the remaining mills.
“The reality is, there isn’t enough overall volume. We all know there has to be rationalization,” said Sinclar Group’s Bruce McLean.
Now, with even more reductions to the timber supply coming, he and Stewart wonder if there will be enough left over to rebuild.
A format has not yet been decided upon, but the legislative committee will return to Prince George on July 6. It is scheduled to hand its final report to the Legislature on Aug. 15.
FLOOD FEARS
River readings slip back - for now
SY
OPEN
Keith Carlson offers public pieces
ARTS 33
Charelle EVELYN Citizen staff cevelyn@pgcitizen.ca
Area residents will get a break from the rising waters of the Fraser River this weekend.
According to B.C. River Forecast Centre head David Campbell, the river level is continuing to drop from its peak of 10.02 metres on Tuesday.
As of Thursday morning, the reading at the South Fort George gauge was 9.8m, and is expected to drop further to 9.6m today.
“Conditions may appear to be holding, but there is some uncertainty going into the weekend,” said Prince George-Valemount MLA
Shirley Bond.
In other words, the lull isn’t going to last long.
“We’re expecting to see that come up again,” Campbell said, explaining a weather forecast that calls for 30 to 50 mm of rain in the province will create another surge.
The waters around Prince George could rise back up to 10m by Monday, he added. “It doesn’t sound like there’s any significant heat in the forecast. The biggest concern is over rainfall.”
Because of this potential, the city’s Emergency Operations Centre remains active and all evacuation alerts and orders are still in place.
Vehicle traffic in the South Fort George area is also restricted while both Cottonwood and Paddlewheel Parks remain closed.
The Upper Fraser Road, 1.5 kilometres west of the Hansard Bridge, which was closed due to flooding on Wednesday, was reopened yesterday.
“Ministry of Transportation advises there is still water on the eastbound land and advises caution driving through that area,” said regional district spokesperson Renee McCloskey.
In addition to millions of sandbags, the province has also made 1,000 firefighters available to help communities throughout the province deal with flooding, Bond said.
Today's Weather
Hi +25°
Low +17°
See page 2 for more details and short-term forecasts
ANNIE'S MAILBOX 37 A&E 33-48 CANADA NEWS 13-15
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COMICS 36 MONEY 32 OPINION 6
CROSSWORD 36 B.C. NEWS 7-8