Stiles: ‘Ontario jobs vanish as Ford Government allows bad actor corporation to abandon workers’

QUEEN’S PARK – Today, Leader of the Official Opposition NDP Marit Stiles, MPP Lise Vaugeois (Thunder Bay-Superior North), and Natural Resources and Forestry critic, Guy Bourgouin (Mushkegowuk—James Bay) were joined by workers from the AV Terrace Bay Kraft Pulp Mill demanding Doug Ford and the Conservatives return jobs to the region following an abrupt closure that has seen the mill idle since January.

"Doug Ford has given Aditya Birla, a foreign multinational conglomerate, a free pass with millions in provincial grants without holding them accountable for keeping jobs in the region," said Stiles. "This is on brand for the Conservatives – siding with CEOs and giving wealthy corporations a leg up at the expense of hard working people.”

“People in Terrace Bay don't want to move away from their home and community to find work – why should they? The province's job is to work with municipalities and the federal government to get the company to the table with these workers or find new ownership. The future of this region and many lives are at risk here, and people want answers."

"The closure of the AV Terrace Bay Kraft Pulp Mill is not only impacting the workers directly involved; it's setting off a chain reaction affecting local businesses across the region," added Vaugeois.

"The time for solutions was yesterday - people have rents and mortgages to pay and kids to feed. The mill is Terrace Bay's bread and butter, keeping the region afloat economically – and they produce a world-class product. The Ford government needs to step in and stop this company from running off with taxpayer dollars and Canadian jobs. It's shady business and affects the entire region. We must act now so we don't lose jobs in Greenstone, White River, Hornepayne, Hearst and all the way down to Thunder Bay."

"We only have two paper mills in Ontario when Ontario used to be a hub for the industry,” said Bourgouin. “Forestry is a significant employer in Ontario, and manufacturers of byproducts will suffer from this. This is not the time to let the workers down.

“Time and time again, this Conservative government is only up for the task when it benefits their insider friends, constantly abandoning workers in the process."