VANCOUVER, B.C. - Another Canadian lumber giant temporarily curtailed production at four of its British Columbia sawmills over the holiday period.

 

West Fraser CEO says the curtailment was because of "challenging lumber markets and high log costs coupled with log supply constraints." The decision comes soon after the company permanently shut down around 300 million board feet of lumber production at two of its mills for 2019, negatively impacting nearly 140 workers.

 

West Fraser isn't alone in this decision among British Columbia lumber manufacturers. Canfor at first curtailed lumber production in BC for the fourth quarter of 2018. Then they extended the curtailment through 2019's first quarter.

 

Conifex Timber also shut down production at one of its BC sawmills for two weeks.

 

Both Canfor and Conifex cited high log costs, log supply constraints, falling lumber prices, and U.S. import tariffs as factors.