Hundreds of people gathered in Témiscaming, Quebec, to call for government action to save the region’s forestry jobs, as the town’s main employer, Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM), remains shuttered after a September closure announcement.
The rally was part of Unifor’s Forestry Nation Day of Action, with demonstrations held in more than 35 communities across Canada. The union has said its goal is to push for a sustainable forestry sector and to protect jobs nationwide.
RYAM announced the Témiscaming plant closure in September, citing weak market conditions and tariffs imposed by the United States, which the company described as a temporary shutdown.
Coalition Forming to Buy the Mill
On October 9, Unifor said it was working to build a coalition of union members, neighbouring communities and First Nations to explore purchasing the plant. Few details of the plan have been released, but local leaders, including Témiscaming Mayor Alain Gauthier, attended the rally held across the river from the facility.
Unifor Local 233 President Stéphane Lefebvre addressed the crowd, saying the day of action was meant to show elected officials, employers and the public that a stronger forestry sector could be built through collective effort. He said the ongoing trade dispute with the United States is pushing Canadian forestry operations toward further closures, pointing to the RYAM plant, which he said has been running with a skeleton crew for three weeks with “no steam, no work.”
Following his remarks, the crowd chanted “Save Canadian Jobs,” a message organizers said was directed at provincial and federal governments.
First Nations and Local Leaders Voice Support
Wolf Lake First Nation Chief Lisa Robinson spoke at the rally, welcoming attendees to the First Nation’s traditional territory and expressing support for affected workers and their families. She said the mill has long been more than a workplace for the town and pledged that Wolf Lake stands with the community.
Kipawa Mayor Norman Young also spoke in support of the workers, thanking the union for bringing local, regional, provincial and federal leaders together and saying attendees were seeking concrete action rather than further discussion.
Speaking to reporters after the rally, Lefebvre said government assistance promised to the community has not materialized quickly enough, noting the plant has gone three weeks without production. He said the coalition exploring a purchase of the mill still has significant work ahead and that a deal would need to work for all parties involved.
This article references reporting from:
