The United Steelworkers union is calling Canfor Corp.鈥檚 decision to shutter two northern British Columbia sawmills a 鈥渒ick in the gut鈥� for workers who will lose their jobs, calling for the company to lose its forest tenure rights in the province.

The union鈥檚 local chapter in Prince George, B.C., says in a statement that about 325 of the 500 workers at the Plateau mill in Vanderhoof and Canfor鈥檚 Fort St. John operation belong to United Steelworkers.

The statement says the union membership was 鈥渄evastated鈥� to hear Canfor鈥檚 announcement on Wednesday that the mills would close by the end of this year, removing 670 million board feet of annual production capacity.

The company blamed the closures on the challenge of accessing economically viable timber, as well as ongoing financial losses and weak lumber markets, but said the final blow was the big increase last month in U.S. tariffs that Canfor called 鈥減unitive.鈥�

Brian O鈥橰ourke, president of the USW local in Prince George, says in the union鈥檚 statement that while the union will fight for 鈥渆very benefit and right afforded to members by the collective agreement,鈥� the province must stand up for the beleaguered sector and rural communities.

He asks when 鈥渢enure and timber rights held by Canfor鈥� will be taken away 鈥渋f they can鈥檛 mill that timber in those communities.鈥�

鈥淭here used to be accountability and a social contract for the forest industry to provide good-paying jobs to these communities in exchange for the right to harvest the timber. When is the government going to stand up for the public鈥檚 resource and the communities it supports?鈥�

According to the USW release, Canfor has closed 10 mills in the province since November 2011, including nine in northern B.C.

鈥淚f Canfor wants out of B.C., and it sure looks like it does, then we need to find someone who will provide high-paying, community-supporting jobs for the right to harvest the timber,鈥� says Scott Lunny, the union鈥檚 director for Western Canada.

B.C. Forests Minister Bruce Ralston said in a statement the province would fight against 鈥渦nfair duties and stand up for forestry workers鈥� and agreed with Canfor that the U.S. Department of Commerce鈥檚 decision to increase softwood lumber duties on top of low prices for lumber was hurting forestry communities.

Ralston said the forest sector was a 鈥渇oundational part鈥� of the province and the government would work to support local jobs.

He said the province was focused on supporting the workers impacted by the closures, and is also working to increase access to fibre and support made-in-B.C. wood manufacturing.

In a written statement, B.C. Council of Forest Industries president Linda Coady said while 鈥済lobal market challenges persist,鈥� the province must do more to mitigate those impacts such as 鈥渟etting a target for a consistently available level of harvest.鈥�

Coady said in her statement that there was a 鈥渘eed for immediate government action to address the root causes鈥� of the threat facing B.C.鈥檚 forestry sector, with predictable access to fibre being the most pressing.

鈥淯rgent action is required to defend B.C. producers, workers, and communities from the disruptive impacts of these unfair and unwarranted tariffs,鈥� Coady said.

鈥淲ithout decisive intervention, the viability of this foundational industry is at risk.鈥�

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