Less talk, more action: stakeholders say MNR must act on competitiveness report, but argue more loans won't help.

• Author: Louiseize, Kelly
• Position: FORESTRY

A forestry stakeholders group might not have achieved total consensus on what ails Northern Ontario's struggling forestry sector, but almost all agree Queen's Park needs to act quickly to come to the industry's aid.

The Minister's Council on Forest Sector Competitiveness, a cross-section of industry, First Nations, labour, environmental and municipal leaders, publicly released their report June 13 with 26 recommendations on how to strengthen and diversify this resource-based economy.

Most say Natural Resources Minister David Ramsay's pledge to deliver $350 million in government loan guarantees is not the answer.

Marvin Pupeza, a Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP) Union national rep, felt the minister's response to the council's report was long on rhetoric, but short on details.

His union wants a province-wide audit of the wood supply because of the ongoing conflict between government and industry over how much commercially viable fibre is available.

The CEP, which represents 5,000 forestry workers in northwestern Ontario, organized a rally of 600 placard-waving members to greet Ramsay in Thunder Bay June 13.

Pupeza was disappointed Ramsay made no mention of an audit in his remarks to the membership.

He says the loan program does nothing to deliver immediate relief to an indebted industry. Neither does it address the core problems of high electricity rates and wood delivery costs.

"Unless those two issues are addressed, why would anyone put money into a sinking ship?"

He calls for the government to take immediate action to ensure the forestry sector's survival and stability.

Industry has 'maybe weeks' to live: CEP

"This industry does not have months, it's got maybe weeks."

The Ontario Forest Industries Association says there are 12 mills in Northern Ontario at risk of closure. That could result in up to 7,500 direct layoffs and the eventual loss of 20,000 indirect jobs across the province.

About 2,200 jobs have been lost in the region due to mill shutdowns over the past two years.

Many northwestern Ontario workers are concerned about Ramsay's support for a proposed $235-million Oriented Strand Board (OSB) plant to be built by Kruger Inc. in Greenstone by 2007. They say it may threaten the hard-wood supply for Buchanan Northern Hardwoods and other area mills.

Pupeza says Queen's Park's focus must be on saving existing mills, not helping create new mega-mills.

"The political will has to be there and identify that there is a crisis...