A group of Lardeau Valley residents is expected to file a complaint against Meadow Creek Cedar with the B.C. Forest Practices Board.
It’s one of the outcomes of a meeting last week called to discuss a community response to the mill’s ongoing troubles.
According to the minutes, a “committee of concerned citizens was formed to investigate all possible avenues currently open to improving the situation for the benefit of the economy of the valley.”
“I think it’s a pretty good group,” says Don Edwards of the local Opportunity Links society, who chaired the meeting. “There was quite a bit of interest, including three people partially employed by [the mill].”
The minutes show the meeting discussed the mill’s forest practices, safety violations, the lack of employment in the area, and “what would happen if the mill closed and/or if its tenure were removed.”
While Edwards says his society can’t start a business, community forest, or otherwise spearhead things directly, they are willing to support the committee’s efforts.
“It was pointed out that if the owner of the mill would run his business safely and in a more professional and ‘above board’ manner, that would be fine,” the minutes read.
It’s expected local MPs Alex Atamanenko and David Wilks will be approached.
The committee met immediately afterward with a forester from Nakusp to talk about filing a complaint against the company. The Forest Practices Board has twice investigated Meadow Creek Cedar in recent years, validating some complaints and dismissing others.
A public meeting is expected once the committee has figured out some options.
Meadow Creek Cedar recently laid off its workforce, just as it was completing safety upgrades to address a series of WorkSafeBC orders.
The company still hasn’t made its final payments to creditors under a proposal drawn up in 2009. It missed a March 7 deadline to pay $71,000 to Canada Revenue Agency and a total of $91,000 to over 50 unsecured creditors.
