Valemount Specialty Mill in British Columbia has temporarily stopped sawing while it waits for freezing weather that will let logging crews reach more timber, mill manager Andy Hubbell told local newspaper The Rocky Mountain Goat. He expects the shutdown to last about two months, depending on the weather.
The mill ran out of hemlock, the species it relies on, in mid-September and sawed its last logs on October 8. Hemlock grows in very wet areas that are hard to reach in the fall because of soft ground, and Hubbell hopes freezing temperatures will let crews in by December. He described the stoppage as a routine seasonal challenge.
The board of Valemount Industrial Park, which oversees the publicly owned sawmill, is preparing to review its financial performance. Board members said questions remain about whether the operation is profitable, despite improvements in equipment, production, log supply and sales interest.