Tolko Heffley Creek investment will help the mill reach new value-added markets: minister

KAMLOOPS — The BC NDP government is investing $8 million into an expansion at the Tolko Heffley Creek Mill.

The funding will help with construction of a facility that will house a new Heffley Creek engineered wood division. That will allow the mill to enter the value-added market.

In addition to plywood, the mill plans to produce specialty industrial and engineered wood products to support new home construction, as well as commercial, furniture, millwork, door and window, and non-residential building systems.

“This is an opportunity for us to get more value for every log that is taken out of the woods, more jobs out of every log,” said BC Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation Brenda Bailey. “And it’s a really important tool that we have (the BC Manufacturing Jobs Fund), it’s $180 million and about half of it is geared towards manufacturing that is specifically related to forestry and the other half is manufacturing more broadly. And we know when a economy is diversified it is more resilient.”

Bailey says once it is built, the project will create 20 new jobs and help secure the 250 jobs that already exist in the Heffley operation.

Along with the new building, the minister stated that the Heffley site will be utilizing a first in Canada technique.

“The expansion of this particular facility, they are taking an old building that is on the property and they are kind of tricking it out with some help of the province. and they are going to be doing a new type of finger-jointing I understand, that is using some new technology, it will make it really strong,” said Bailey. “It’s really the first place in Canada that will be doing this particular type of jointing. so it’s a great opportunity, it grows more jobs, it builds higher paying jobs in a value added sector. and we do know that Tolko has access to fibre as well.”