Canfor closes Prince George pulp mill, cutting 300 jobs

Canfor Corporation is closing its Northwood Pulp Mill in Prince George, eliminating 300 jobs in the northern B.C. city. The decision comes as the pulp division has faced prolonged unsustainable losses, driven by global oversupply and weak prices.

Canfor President Susan Yurkovich said the company had exhausted options to stabilize the operation. "The pulp and paper sector continues to face significant challenges, including a structural shift in global pulp markets," she said. "Substantial additional pulp production capacity has come online globally, creating an oversupply in the market and downward pressure on global pulp prices." The facility produced around 300,000 tonnes of high-quality bleached pulp annually.

The closure is the latest blow to B.C.'s forest sector. In May 2024, Canfor closed a sawmill in Bear Lake (180 jobs) and cut production at Northwood (220 jobs). B.C. Minister of Forests Ravi Parmar said the government will work to support displaced workers through transition services, retraining and redeployment opportunities.

Canfor said it is committed to supporting employees through the transition, including severance and exploring opportunities to move impacted workers to other operating locations where possible. The broader forestry sector is under pressure from U.S. tariffs, weak lumber prices and declining global pulp demand.