NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release 2010FOR0176-001274 Oct. 18, 2010

Ministry of Forests and Range

 

TRC CEDAR MILL RE-OPENS AND PUTS 30 PEOPLE TO WORK

 

MCBRIDE – TRC Cedar Mill is firing up its saws again, producing cedar products and employing workers, Minister of Forests and Range Pat Bell and Prince George-Valemount MLA Shirley Bond celebrated today.

 

            “Anytime you have mills re-opening, it’s a good day,” said Bell. “The way everyone pulled together to make this happen, it’s a real testament to McBride’s community spirit.”

 

            McBride Community Forest will be providing 15,000 cubic metres of wood for the first year, which will provide enough employment for one shift for a year. 

 

“I know how hard people have worked to make the reopening of TRC possible. Our focus is always on job creation and the addition of 30 jobs will have a significant impact on a resource-dependent community,” said Bond. “It is great to have a positive story about the forest industry in the Robson Valley after the major challenges we have faced.”

           

TRC Cedar makes use of lower-grade logs that are not sawlog quality that would otherwise go to waste on the forest floor. Lower-grade logs could be those with severe twists over the entire length of the log, or where less than 50 per cent of the log can produce merchantable timber. TRC converts the logs to post-and-rail fencing, gates and shake blocks.

 

            “We use 100 per cent of the log, so absolutely nothing goes to waste,” said TRC Cedar owner Tom Ryan. “We even convert the bark and rot to mulch for use in landscaping, trails and paths – so even the leftover material from these leftover logs is used.”

 

“McBride Community Forest Corporation is proud to have invested in job creation in our community,” said Rick Thompson, Chair MCFC Board of Directors. “Through our ongoing work with the Ministry of Forests and Range, we hope to further expand these types of opportunities.”

 

            Since November 2009, and with today’s mill re-openings, a total of 17 mills have announced they are re-opening or adding shifts.

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Contact:

Cheekwan Ho Public Affairs Bureau 250 387-8482

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