Western Forest Products Announce Sawmill Curtailments
Originally Published by: Woodworking Network — September 23, 2025
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Western Forest Products Inc. has announced planned temporary operating curtailments at its British Columbia (“B.C.”) sawmills during the fourth quarter of 2025.
These planned curtailments, combined with temporary operating curtailments taken in the third quarter of 2025, will collectively reduce lumber production at its B.C. sawmills by approximately 50 million board feet in the second half of 2025, amounting to approximately 6 per cent of the company’s annual lumber capacity.
The curtailments are in response to persistently weak market conditions, further impacted by significant increases in U.S. softwood lumber duties in August 2025.
In addition, certain factors relating to the B.C. operating environment, including a lack of available economic log supply, ongoing harvesting permitting delays, and the strike by the United Steelworkers Local 1-1937 at our La-kwa sa muqw Forestry Limited Partnership are also contributing factors. The temporary curtailments will be taken through a combination of reduced operating hours, an extended holiday break, and reconfigured shifting schedules. The Chemainus sawmill, which was temporarily curtailed for the entire third quarter of 2025, will remain temporarily curtailed for the entire fourth quarter of 2025.
The company will continue to monitor market conditions and available log supply across its operations and will adjust its operating schedules as required.