British Columbia’s largest producer of paper and pulp, Paper Excellence, announced the end of operations at its Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat mill in Powell River on Wednesday. 

Photo credit: Paper Excellence The Powell River-based pulp mill is expected to cease operations this month.

The company cited the shrinking of worldwide paper markets and plunging paper prices as reasons prompting the curtailment of production at the mill. 

“The ongoing contraction of global paper markets and paper prices, particularly in Asia, are creating significant on-going financial losses at the mill,” the company said. “Despite the best efforts of the mill’s committed team of employees, the facility is simply not viable under the reality of today’s market conditions.” 

The mill currently employs 206 workers who now potentially will now find themselves out of a job before the holidays, although the company said it will offer relocation opportunities for employment at their other facilities where there are currently job vacancies.

Paper and pulp products have been consistently produced at the site ever since the first pulp mill opened there in 1912. At this point it is unclear what will become of the land currently occupied by the mill.