Sawmill shutdown sends shockwaves through small B.C. town

The impending closure of a major sawmill in British Columbia’s South Cariboo is sending shockwaves through the small community of 100 Mile House, with local officials warning the economic and emotional toll will extend far beyond the workers directly affected.

West Fraser Timber Co. has announced it will shut down its mill in the community by the end of the year, citing unreliable access to enough economically viable timber both locally and from surrounding regions. The closure will leave more than 165 people without jobs in a town of roughly 2,000 residents.

For longtime forestry worker and resident Sven Birkner, the news has been devastating.

“The impact — emotionally, physically, spiritually — when these things happen is very devastating,” he said. “This mill has been a foundation for a lot of families here.”

The shutdown is part of a broader downturn gripping B.C.’s forestry sector. In recent years, the industry has been hit hard by rising U.S. tariffs on softwood lumber, compounded by pine beetle infestations, wildfires, and tightening access to timber. Together, those pressures have led to widespread mill closures and thousands of lost jobs across the province.

Mayor Maureen Pinkney says the loss of the mill will affect everything from local businesses to housing stability and municipal services. She is now lobbying both provincial and federal governments for financial assistance and support for displaced workers.

“You think things are just perfectly fine and then a major industry just stops,” Pinkney said. “But it’s happened to a lot of towns across Canada, and now it’s our turn to face it.”

Pinkney is also focused on attracting new industries to diversify the town’s economy and reduce its reliance on forestry alone — a challenge shared by many rural communities across the province.

As the year-end closure approaches, uncertainty is growing among workers and their families, while local leaders race to soften the blow and chart a new economic path forward for 100 Mile House.