
GreenFirst Forest Products Inc. (TSX: GFP) today announced a
temporary curtailment of certain operations in order to reassess
its options, following Kap Paper's decision to begin an orderly
idling of operations at its Kapuskasing paper mill.
In a press release, GreenFirst said, "The announced idling of
Kap Paper — GreenFirst's primary customer for wood by-products —
significantly worsens the challenge of managing these residual
materials in Ontario, Canada. This marks the fourth pulp and
paper mill to close in the province over the past two years. The
two remaining pulp and paper mills in Western Ontario cannot, on
their own, absorb the full volume of chips and biomass generated
by sawmill operations across the province.
"These tough times have been exacerbated by tariffs and
resulting economic uncertainty, the company added.
Employees of GreenFirst have been informed that, effective
October 6, 2025, the company will reduce sawmill operations at
its Kapuskasing, Hearst, and Cochrane facilities in Ontario for
the equivalent of one week. The curtailment at the Kapuskasing
sawmill could extend beyond this period, given the site's
location and the additional challenges it may face.
This measure will be reassessed as the situation evolves and in
light of broader challenges currently affecting the forestry
sector, including:
1. Elevated duties and tariffs on lumber exports to the United
States;
2. Ongoing uncertainty in lumber markets; and
3. Currently low lumber prices.
Kiln and planer mill operations will continue as scheduled,
without interruption; only sawmill operations will be affected
by this temporary curtailment. In total, approximately 140
direct employees will be impacted by this decision.
"We are navigating a period of significant uncertainty, marked
by the idling of Kap Paper and challenging market conditions. We
are doing everything possible to protect our operations, support
our employees, and work with governments to find viable
solutions for GreenFirst's future," said Joël Fournier,
GreenFirst's CEO.
GreenFirst noted that it remains committed to keeping its
employees, shareholders, and other stakeholders informed as the
situation develops.
About GreenFirst Forest Products:
GreenFirst Forest Products is a forest-first business, focused
on sustainable forest management and lumber production. The
company owns four sawmills located in rich wood baskets
operating over 6.1 million hectares of FSC certified public
Ontario forestlands (FSC®-C167905).
Source: GreenFirst Forest
Products Inc.