Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach is urging the federal government to help support workers affected by the closure of the Houston and Chetwynd Canfor mills.
In a letter to Minister of Employment MP Carla Qualtrough, Bachrach also shed light on the closures, saying these job losses will have major impacts on those communities.
“Losing at least 400 high-paying, community-supporting jobs will have deep, long-lasting impacts on these two northern BC communities,” Bachrach said in the letter.
“The federal government can meaningfully contribute to Chetwynd and Houston’s economic recovery by ensuring families suddenly facing loss of employment are able to access timely EI benefits.”
He proposes temporary changes are made to the Employment Insurance program including reduced required hours of work, simplifying the application process, and ensuring any other benefits provided don’t interfere.
The letter also states that the temporary changes to EI made during the pandemic were abandoned in September and that the new temporary changes are implemented till the pre-pandemic system is revamped.
Last month, Canfor also cut 300 jobs from its pulp line at the Pulp and Paper Mill in Prince George.
– story done by Logan Flint, My Bulkley Lakes Now staff