The McKenzie Sawmill in Hudson has been denied access to wood rights by the Provincial government.
Mill officials learned about the government decision two weeks ago. The decision effectively crushes the company’s plans to re-open the mothballed mill this spring. It had been hoped to have two shifts running by June.
Reacting to the government decision, Sioux Lookout Mayor Dennis Leney called a community meeting Thursday of last week to organize a letter writing campaign to try to reverse the decision.
According to the Mayor and to company officials, the deck is stacked against stand-alone sawmills with the government giving preference to pulp and paper mills or to sawmills that are attached to pulp mills. The Mayor is also asking why a consulting firm with ties to Domtar is being used by the government to assist in the selection process.
