Mr. Speaker, last evening my constituency received some devastating news: Canfor announced the closure of its mill in Vavenby, and 178 people will lose their jobs. The Canfor mill had been the major employer of Vavenby and the area, and it is tragic news for this community.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated situation. In B.C., companies have been cutting back shifts and closing mills as the lack of log supplies and low prices endure. More closures are expected to come. In fact, the province will likely lose 12 mills in the next decade, according to a report commissioned by Forest Economic Advisors Canada.
It is long past time for the government to take some action. We need to have the Trans Mountain pipeline approved; we need the U.S. softwood lumber tariffs lifted; we need broadband investments, and we need western diversification to support these small towns that must diversify or die. Time is of the essence. Rural Canadians deserve better.