Commonwealth breaks down reasons for closure of Rapides mill, Pontiac council passes resolution of support

Commonwealth breaks down reasons for closure of Rapides mill, Pontiac council passes resolution of support

Following the news last week that the Commonwealth Plywood mill in Rapides-des-Joachims would be closing on December 19 for an indefinite period, laying off 23 workers in the process, a representative of the company has responded with a detailed list of reasons for the closure.

In an email, Joël Quévillon, the company’s vice-president of forestry explained that immediately after the mill reopened in January 2023, the provincial Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests (MNRF) cut their pine allocation by around 30%. He added that the ministry had also discontinued a financial assistance program for maintaining forestry roads.

He also pointed to the increase in fibre costs, and the impact of other Outaouais mills closing, such as Fortress in Thurso and more recently Résolu in Maniwaki.

“This notice was effective as of December 19, 2024. However, we informed employees from the beginning that we were continuing to look for solutions,” he wrote (translated). “It is still conceivable that this deadline could be delayed a little. We are working on it … The mill is operating well. There is a good team in place. We are aware of the impacts of a closure on this team.”

At the MRC Pontiac council of mayors meeting on November 27, a unanimous resolution was passed in support of Commonwealth.

Pontiac Warden Jane Toller said after the meeting that despite the bad news, she remained hopeful, as the shorter a mill is closed, the easier it is to reopen.

In a statement to Radio-Canada, the MNRF said that they are aware of the situation and actively working to find solutions.