A coalition of local managers, union members and First Nations representatives is working to buy a shuttered pulp and paper mill in Témiscaming, Que., with the backing of the union representing the plant’s roughly 400 unionized workers.
American forest products company RYAM announced in September that it would temporarily shut down the Témiscaming facility, located about 45 minutes northeast of North Bay. Unifor, the union representing the affected workers, issued a press release stating that the coalition is forming “with a view to buying the RYAM factory.”
According to the union’s release, the goal is to secure Canadian ownership of the plant and preserve jobs that support families in the region. No purchase price has been disclosed. Unifor Local 233 president Stéphane Lefebvre previously estimated, when RYAM announced layoffs in August 2024, that the mill’s value could exceed $100 million, though he said that figure is likely negotiable given the plant’s current shutdown status.
Tariffs Cited as Factor in Shutdown
RYAM has said the plant became increasingly unsustainable to operate, pointing to U.S. tariffs and broader challenges in the pulp and paper sector as reasons for pausing production. Lefebvre acknowledged the impact of tariffs but said he believes the plant can be profitable once they are lifted. He said the coalition has been working to expand Canadian and international sales.
Lefebvre said discussions with government officials and First Nations representatives are already underway as the coalition works toward a deal. He said that while a shutdown mill holds limited standalone value, significant costs and assets are tied up in liabilities, stock, inventories and operating expenses.
Unifor National President Lana Payne said the initiative supports Canadian ownership and gives local stakeholders a direct interest in the company’s long-term success. Daniel Cloutier, Unifor’s Quebec director, said the province needs its processing plants to make full use of forest resources, noting that skilled jobs, expertise and a network of suppliers are tied to the Témiscaming facility.
A Second Chapter for the Mill
The effort recalls a previous episode in the mill’s history. In 1973, after Canadian International Paper closed the facility the year before, a mobilization of workers, former managers and the community led to its purchase and relaunch under the name Tembec.
Currently, no production is taking place at the site. Lefebvre said about 60 people remain on site handling essential services, including water treatment and boiler operation to heat the buildings. He described the shutdown as an economic one with no set restart date, saying the plant remains dependent on the tariff situation.
The coalition has not yet detailed its next steps, which the union said will be specified as discussions progress. Workers and the union planned to hold a rally outside the RYAM plant on October 16 to draw attention to the situation.
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