Smooth Rock Falls has not felt the effects of planned layoffs at a Tembec’s kraft pulp mill in the community, although the town intends to establish an adjustment committee and hire a consultant by next year, says the mayor of the community.
According to Mayor Réjeanne Demeules, the company has only laid off 11 of the 53 workers that are expected to be laid off by May of next year.
Demeules says that Tembec has reassured the town of close to 10,000 residents that Tembec intends to keep the facility open in the future and is in the midst of restructuring in order to fight high fibre prices and the increasing cost of environmental regulation on the industry.
Tembec has already taken initiative and set up a program to aid in retraining workers to deal with the impact of the layoffs.
By January 2005, council will have established an adjustment committee made up of volunteers from the community who will assist the community in dealing with the losses, as well as help in finding a secondary industry for the one-industry town. Council is also seeking to hire a consultant to help deal with the challenges the community will face ahead.
