Weyerhaeuser Warned About Timber Rights

Weyerhaeuser Warned About Timber Rights

Wednesday, October 04, 2006 at 15:14

Saskatchewan’s forestry minister says the government will only wait so long before it yanks back timber rights from corporations owning dormant sawmills in the province.

Eldon Lautermilch is responding to Weyerhaeuser’s announcement this week that it plans to shutdown its mills in Hudson Bay and Carrot River early in the New Year.

The minister says the province is waiting to see what it can do to assist a sale or re-opening of the mills in those communities, but it could take time.

Lautermilch says he’s also uncomfortable with the fact that decisions about their future, and that of the Prince Albert mill, are being made thousands of kilometres away in Tacoma, Washington.

At the same time, Lautermilch says the clock is ticking on the new owner of the Prince Albert mill to indicate when it will re-open.

Lautermilch warns the rights of the Prince Albert forest management area will only be held for two years. After that, they could be given to someone else.