Mackenzie residents rally because of dying forest industry

Residents of Mackenzie, B.C., marched through the town Friday to voice their concerns about the struggling forestry sector while government officials and forestry experts gathered to discusssolutions.

Industry officials estimate 1,000 B.C. forestry workers in the Central Interior town have lost their jobs through mill shutdowns, downtime and layoffs brought on by the slump in the U.S. housing market over the past year.

The dying forest industry is costing the town jobs, money and small businesses that form the backbone of the community, according to one small business owner.

If things don't turn around soon, the owner of Mackenzie Drycleaning said his business could be forced to close.

"It's affecting us severely. We're hoping we can last through the summer," said Chris Klinger.

Less than a year ago, business was brisk, Klinger said. The majority of his work consisted of industrial cleaning, but with sawmill and pulp mill closures in the community, Klinger said he has lost 70 per cent of his business.

At Victory Building Centre across the street, it's another story.

People are entering in droves to buy supplies needed to renovate their homes to sell, said owner Sylvain Laferriere.

But when summer ends, Laferriere said the renovation rush will be over as well.

"For the summer they'll leave. I'm really worried once school's out," he said.

Meanwhile, at a forestry roundtable in Mackenzie, B.C. Forest Minister Rich Coleman said although $2 million will be available to the community, there is nothing at this time to help small businesses last through the summer.

However, he said his government is working to provide solutions to towns suffering from the dying forest industry."The big issue is can we find an investor for the pulp millwe're talking to different people that are interested, and we are going to give whatever information and assist in any way we can with the business plans to help people look at opportunities in Mackenzie," he said.

Coleman is visiting B.C.'s communities to hear from local experts about the forest crisis and plans to take the information back to the cabinet.

The next stop for the roundtable is Fort St. John, and it wraps up in Williams Lake on June 6.