The closure of Canfor's Northwood pulp mill is the latest setback for B.C.'s forestry sector, leaving another 300 workers searching for new employment.

Another 300 forestry workers will soon be looking for new jobs after Canfor announced it will permanently close its Northwood Pulp Mill near Prince George later this year, adding to the growing challenges facing British Columbia's forest industry.

The company said the decision follows a prolonged period of financial losses driven by a structural shift in global pulp markets, increased international production that has pushed prices lower and ongoing difficulties securing enough economically viable fibre to keep the operation profitable.

For employees, the closure means more than the loss of a workplace. Hundreds of families now face uncertainty as they search for new employment, while local businesses that depend on forestry workers are also expected to feel the economic impact.

The Northwood closure is the latest in a series of setbacks for British Columbia's forestry sector. According to the BC Council of Forest Industries, 21 lumber mills have closed permanently or indefinitely across the province since 2023. The organization estimates the industry has lost approximately 15,000 jobs since 2022.

Among the recent closures were West Fraser's sawmill in 100 Mile House, the Crofton pulp mill on Vancouver Island and a Drax pellet mill in Williams Lake. Each closure has reduced employment opportunities in communities where forestry has long been a major economic driver.

Industry leaders say the challenges extend well beyond a single company.

A shrinking fibre supply has made it increasingly difficult for mills to obtain enough wood to operate efficiently. The available timber base has been affected by years of mountain pine beetle damage, increasingly severe wildfire seasons, harvest deferrals and changes to forest management practices. Reduced sawmill production also means fewer wood chips are available for pulp mills, further tightening fibre supplies.

At the same time, Canadian producers continue to face rising operating costs, soft global lumber and pulp markets and ongoing trade pressures with the United States. Those combined factors have reduced profitability across much of the industry.

Unifor, which represents many of the affected workers, said the closure will have ripple effects throughout Prince George. In addition to direct job losses at the mill, the shutdown is expected to affect contractors, trucking companies, suppliers and other businesses connected to the forestry supply chain.

British Columbia Forests Minister Ravi Parmar called the closure heartbreaking for workers and their families and said the province is working on changes to improve forestry permitting while supporting affected communities.

While the reasons behind individual mill closures vary, the latest announcement underscores the continuing pressures facing one of Canada's most important resource industries. For many forestry-dependent communities, the immediate concern is not only the loss of hundreds of jobs today but whether enough investment and timber supply will exist to sustain the sector in the years ahead.