Doerkson pledges faster forestry permits as Quesnel pulp mill shuts down indefinitely
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson says his government will approve forestry permits in months rather than years, responding to Millar Western's decision to curtail the Quesnel River Pulp mill.
Reported. A news outlet found this. voche.me names the outlet and links its report. Read the original report on islandsocialtrends.ca.
Millar Western will shut down the Quesnel River Pulp mill indefinitely, the company announced on November 9, 2026, citing market conditions and uncertain wood fibre supply. Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson responded on November 12 by pledging to streamline forestry permits as one of his government's first priorities, according to islandsocialtrends.ca.
Doerkson said his government would approve forestry permits in months rather than years, and that he planned to meet with Millar Western and Quesnel city officials to understand the conditions under which the mill could restart. "Getting more fibre on the trucks and getting permits approved in months rather than years" would keep mills operating and potentially restart shuttered facilities, he said, according to the article.
What Millar Western said
Millar Western CEO Karl Meyers told the Quesnel Cariboo Observer that "market conditions and uncertainty surrounding economic fibre supply" drove the decision to curtail the mill. Most operations will shut down over the next several weeks. The effluent system will continue running for twelve months or until an alternative is found.
Quesnel Mayor Coralee Oakes called the news "deeply disappointing" and said it would have "a substantial hit to the city of Quesnel." The city set up a transition team to support workers and businesses affected by the shutdown.
The federal government had provided a $100 million loan to Millar Western in July 2026, according to islandsocialtrends.ca, though the article did not specify whether conditions on that loan apply to the Quesnel mill.
What the platform promised
The Conservative platform, page 17, promised to create a process for forestry permits modelled on how major infrastructure projects are approved, with decisions in months rather than years. The platform also promised, on page 16, to set a floor of 45 million cubic metres for the annual timber harvest, compared with the 29 million cubic metres the provincial budget assumed under the NDP government. Doerkson's remarks about permits directly echo that platform language.
Both promises are tracked on this site at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-forestry-major-project-process.
What comes next
Workers and residents in Quesnel can contact the City of Quesnel's transition team for information on support programs while the mill is shut down.
Questions this story answers
What did Doerkson say about the Quesnel River Pulp mill?
Premier-designate Lorne Doerkson said on November 12, 2026, that he plans to work with Millar Western and Quesnel city officials to understand what conditions would allow the mill to restart. He said his government will approve forestry permits in months rather than years, citing this as a key step toward keeping BC mills operating, according to islandsocialtrends.ca.
Why is the Quesnel River Pulp mill shutting down?
Millar Western CEO Karl Meyers cited market conditions and uncertainty about the economic supply of wood fibre as the reasons for curtailing the mill indefinitely. The company announced on November 9, 2026, that the shutdown of most operations will take place over the next several weeks, according to the Quesnel Cariboo Observer. The effluent system will continue operating for twelve months.
How many workers are affected by the Quesnel River Pulp mill curtailment?
Quesnel Mayor Coralee Oakes told the Quesnel Cariboo Observer on November 9, 2026, it was too early to give an exact number, because the impact extends to employees, contractors, and local businesses. The City of Quesnel has set up a transition team to support affected workers.
What forestry platform promises did Doerkson make during the election?
The Conservative Party of BC platform, page 17, promised to create a process for forestry permits modelled on the process for major projects, with decisions in months rather than years. It also promised, on page 16, to set a floor of 45 million cubic metres for the annual timber harvest, compared with the 29 million cubic metres the provincial budget assumed under the NDP.
What is the federal government doing about the Quesnel mill?
The federal government provided a $100 million loan to Millar Western in July 2026, according to islandsocialtrends.ca. The article does not say whether that loan is tied to any conditions around the Quesnel River Pulp mill specifically.
What can Quesnel residents do now?
Quesnel has set up a transition team for workers affected by the mill curtailment. Residents and workers can contact the City of Quesnel for information on support. They can also read the Conservative forestry platform promises on the voche.me tracker at /bc/provincial-2026/tracker#gov-promise-forestry-major-project-process to follow whether permit changes are acted on.
What is the Quesnel River Pulp mill and who owns it?
Quesnel River Pulp is a pulp mill in Quesnel, BC, owned by Millar Western, a forestry company that Atlas Holdings acquired in 2023. The mill produces pulp used in paper and packaging products. It is one of Quesnel's largest employers.
Has the new BC Conservative government taken any formal action on forestry since the election?
As of November 12, 2026, Doerkson's government has not yet been sworn in. He is premier-designate. His comments about permits and working with Millar Western are pledges made before taking office. The Conservative platform promised faster forestry permits as a core commitment, and this is Doerkson's first public statement linking that promise to a specific mill curtailment.
Sources
The pages this story draws on. Open one to check a claim yourself.
- islandsocialtrends.ca: Doerkson's government-in-waiting makes forestry sector promise (November 12, 2026)islandsocialtrends.ca
- Quesnel Cariboo Observer: Millar Western to indefinitely curtail operations at Quesnel River Pulp mill (November 9, 2026)quesnelobserver.com
- Conservative Party of BC platform: Forestry promises (page 17)conservativebc.ca
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