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The Honourable Kevin Holland
Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products
Minister Holland,
Re: Supporting Ontario’s Forestry Sector and Communities
We are urgently requesting a meeting to discuss the ongoing softwood lumber dispute and trade war that are causing disastrous repercussions across the forestry sector in Ontario.
Today's announcement by Interfor that it is shutting down its Ear Falls sawmill is alarming and a sign of the instability facing the forestry sector in Ontario. With its secure chip sales agreement with Dryden Fibre, the Interfor sawmill is arguably the most secure and well-positioned sawmill in Eastern Canada.
Communities across North and Northwestern Ontario are suffering as layoffs, curtailments and shutdown announcements pile up. This goes well beyond typical responses to wavering market prices and is a widespread and growing reaction to unjust U.S. tariffs and the lack of tri-level government policy and strategy to safeguard the thousands of jobs and millions in economic output generated directly and indirectly through the province's forestry operations.
Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, with more than 320,000 members across the country, working in every major sector of the Canadian economy. Unifor is also Canada’s forestry union, with 24,000 members spread across 10 Canadian provinces – including over 4,000 forestry members here in Ontario.
Ontario’s forestry sector and forestry workers face an ongoing crisis, and it is critical that governments and other stakeholders work together in coordination.
We would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you as soon as possible, in Toronto or in your constituency, to explore a collaborative path forward that centers workers, protects Ontario jobs, and strengthens our province’s industrial strategy. Also in attendance will be forestry workers directly impacted by tariffs and closures.
Sincerely,
Lana Payne Samia Hashi
National President Ontario Regional Director
