Swisha and Maniwaki sawmills closing, threatening hundreds of jobs
Tashi Farmilo
Local Journalism Initiative
OUTAOUAIS: The forestry sector in the Outaouais is facing a severe crisis, with two major sawmills—Resolute Forest Products in Maniwaki and Commonwealth Plywood in Rapides-des-Joachims—set to close just before Christmas, threatening nearly 2,700 direct and indirect jobs.
Commonwealth Plywood, which employs 23 people, will close December 19 due to financial challenges exacerbated by recent government decisions. The mill, which reopened in 2023 after a decade-long hiatus, is struggling with cuts to its cutting allocation, limiting the amount of timber it can harvest, as well as reduced funding for road construction and maintenance. Jane Toller, MRC Pontiac warden, explained these factors have made it difficult for the mill to remain profitable, despite significant investments in reopening.
Lucie Rivet Paquette, mayor of Rapides-des-Joachims, said the closure will have a widespread economic impact on the community, with a ripple effect on local stores and service providers. She called on the provincial government to consider offering grants and/or funding to keep the mill operational.
Toller emphasized the effects of the two closures will ripple through the entire community, impacting workers, their families, local suppliers and businesses. “Forestry is the backbone of our economy,” said Toller. “When these mills close, it’s not just the workers who suffer—it’s everyone.”
During the November 27 MRC Pontiac Council of Mayors meeting, mayors unanimously passed a resolution urging the Ministry of Natural Resources to restore financial assistance for the construction and refurbishment of forestry roads, as well as the original wood allocation for Commonwealth Plywood.
To further support the region, local leaders are calling for the creation of a $2.5 million emergency fund to help workers and contractors while the sector recovers. The funds would be distributed quickly, using a structure similar to programs deployed during past crises like the 2023 wildfires and the COVID pandemic. “We have solutions. We’ve identified nearly 30 actionable steps to help revitalize the sector. What we need now is political will to implement them and save these mills,” said Toller.
André Fortin, Pontiac MNA and Official Opposition Critic for Forests, said the mill closures are a direct result of the government’s failure to modernize our forestry regime and support local industry. “Our businesses are forced to operate in a climate of uncertainty, and the workers, families, and communities who depend on forestry are the ones paying the price. The time for action is now—this sector is too vital to our rural economy to be left to wither. We need immediate, concrete measures to ensure the survival of our mills and the livelihoods of thousands of workers,” he added.
“The longer we wait, the more difficult it will be to reopen the mills and the damage to the community will be irreparable,” Toller warned. “The forestry industry isn’t just a business; it’s a cornerstone of our community and future. If the government doesn’t intervene now, we risk losing everything we’ve worked so hard to build,” she concluded.
