While residents of Terrace Bay continue to advocate and engage in discussions about a way forward following AV Terrace Bay’s decision to idle their pulp mill indefinitely, local, provincial, and federal leaders continue to chime in – including, most recently, Premier Doug Ford and Thunder Bay–Superior North MPP Lise Vaugeois.
Premier Ford spoke on April 4 during an event in Oliver Paipoonge, addressing concerns about whether or not the mill will be operational again and what, if any, support the provincial government can provide to the nearly 400 workers who were laid off in January.
“Minister Graydon Smith was working with the company right up until the day they unfortunately shut the doors. It’s a very tough situation – a tough market. We’ll do everything we can to support the workers but that whole sector right now is challenged,” Ford said.
“We’re there to retrain the workers, find them new opportunities, new jobs – and that’s what we’re going to do to support them.”
Smith, the minister of natural resources and forestry, met with Mayor Paul Malashewski at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association conference in January to discuss the province’s role and indicated that nothing could be done until AV Terrace Bay – or their India-based parent company, Aditya Birla Group – begins “a dialogue with the province.”
Ford’s latest comments indeed suggest that the company is still stonewalling the province and there are no plans to reopen the mill.
Marit Stiles, provincial leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), previously said the Terrace Bay mill “cannot close”.
Her comments were echoed by federal NDP leader, Jagmeet Singh, who challenged Liberals and Conservatives to work with the NDP and residents of Terrace Bay in finding a solution.
But, the people of Terrace Bay are growing frustrated.
A delegation from Steelworkers local 665 appeared at Queen’s Park in early March where they pleaded with Minister Smith and the provincial government to move quickly because “they can’t afford to wait.”
The delegation was joined by Stiles and Vaugeois.
Returning to Queen’s Park on April 8, Vaugeois responded directly to the Premier’s recent comments about the mill.
“That’s an awful way for the people of Thunder Bay-Superior North to hear that the government has given up on the mill . . . the closure not only affects all the families and businesses in Terrace Bay and Schreiber, it affects workers and families throughout the entire region – about 10,000 people,” Vaugeois said.
Minister Smith expressed his “disappointment” about the comments made by Vaugeois and reiterated that the Conservatives are doing everything they can to help those affected by the mill closure.
Vaugeois was quick in her response, however.
“There has been no substantive communication to anyone local throughout this entire process. From the beginning, I told the minister’s office there were employee buyout models and there were First Nations interested in partnering. Yet, no one from the government has ever reached out to anyone to talk about these options. No one from this government has reached out to the federal minister to discuss options,” she said.
“Premier Ford needs to step up and do the right thing today. The people of Terrace Bay, Schreiber, and Northern Ontario deserve a government that fights for their jobs and protects their livelihoods. It's time for action, not abandonment.”