Tolko curtailment could affect Okanagan Valley: MLA

The indefinite shutdown of Tolko Industries’ Kelowna operations will affect businesses up and down the Okanagan Valley, according to Vernon-Monashee MLA Eric Foster.

Foster has called on B.C.’s NDP government to take action.

“This is not a trickle down effect, this is a waterfall effect,” Foster told Vernon Matters. “In addition to the mill jobs affected, there are the logging jobs, the trucking jobs, all of the supply chain.

“That runs up and down the Valley. It’s not just Kelowna. It is a huge, huge impact.”

On Thursday, Vernon-based Tolko Industries announced it was curtailing its Kelowna operations for an indeterminate period.

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The forestry company blamed continued high log costs and poor North American market conditions.

“The provincial government has the ability to regulate or change over or forgive stumpage rates,” Foster said. “(The Liberals) suggested that they should look at the stumpage and the province said ‘no.'”

He said the government should also look at lowering the carbon tax on all forestry-related equipment and vehicles.

“They have the ability to lower that carbon tax for the industry during this downturn and help them out. They’ve chosen not to do either of these things and then they’re missing in action. Why don’t they have people on the ground here,” he said. “Why aren’t they coming to Kelowna, Prince George, Quesnel, all these places where mills are shutting down? Look at helping these folks out, get some programs together.”

Meanwhile, B.C. Forests Minister Doug Donaldson said the lumber industry is going through a “correction.”

Donaldson said his government has dispatched support teams and retraining experts to affected communities.

-With files from the Canadian Press