North America entered September with a growing list of sawmill closures and production curtailments. The pressure remains strongest in Canada, but recent cases in Colorado, Alabama, Louisiana and California show that the adjustment is no longer confined to British Columbia.<\/p>\n
The reasons differ by region. Western Canadian producers continue to contend with expensive sawlogs and declining timber availability. Ontario and Quebec mills face weak lumber prices, high transport and operating costs, and duties on shipments to the United States. In the US, low-cost southern mills remain comparatively well positioned, but older and smaller operations are finding it harder to compete.<\/p>\n
Not every mill on the 2026 list represents permanent capacity leaving the market. Some were curtailed for several weeks, others stopped indefinitely, and several were affected by fires. Blue Ridge in Alberta and Robbins Lumber\u2019s Searsmont mill in Maine subsequently resumed production, while the Olla sawmill in Louisiana reopened under new ownership. These cases need to be separated from permanent closures when estimating the reduction in North American lumber capacity.<\/p>\n
Canadian mills carry most of the reduction<\/strong><\/p>\n Canada accounts for the largest share of the capacity affected in 2026. In British Columbia, Western Forest Products extended the shutdown of its Chemainus sawmill through the entire year and kept Cowichan Bay curtailed through September. Conifex stopped production at Mackenzie for approximately seven weeks beginning in May.<\/p>\n British Columbia\u2019s difficulty is no longer simply a matter of weak lumber prices. The province has lost a substantial part of its historical sawlog supply following the mountain pine beetle harvest, wildfires and reductions in the economically accessible timber base. Even when lumber prices improve, mills must compete for a smaller and increasingly expensive volume of logs.<\/p>\n The adjustment has spread into Ontario and Quebec. Interfor indefinitely curtailed its Nairn Centre and Gogama sawmills, while Domtar placed Ignace on an indefinite shutdown. The Ferland-Boilleau Forestry Cooperative also closed its sawmill in Quebec.<\/p>\n These mills do not face the same degree of timber depletion as British Columbia, but their operating costs have become difficult to recover. Canadian lumber producers must absorb duties when selling into the United States, while labour, rail transport, energy and sawlog costs remain high. Mills with older equipment, longer transport distances or a limited product mix have less room to withstand another weak pricing cycle.<\/p>\n The published mill announcements also understate the reduction. Domtar planned to cut approximately 150 million board feet of lumber production across its operations in Quebec, Ontario and the United States during the first quarter. Much of this was spread across several facilities rather than presented as complete mill closures.<\/p>\n Alberta and Saskatchewan join the correction<\/strong><\/p>\n Canfor\u2019s decision to close its Fox Creek sawmill permanently will remove 120 million board feet of annual capacity from Alberta. Carrier Forest Products will also curtail its Big River sawmill in Saskatchewan indefinitely from October 16. Big River has nominal capacity of approximately 250 million board feet per year.<\/p>\n The two decisions widen the geographical range of the Canadian contraction. Alberta and Saskatchewan had appeared less exposed than British Columbia because of their stronger sawlog availability. Fox Creek and Big River show that timber supply alone is not enough when lumber prices remain below the cost base of individual mills.<\/p>\n The immediate consequences will be regional. When a large sawmill stops, demand for sawlogs falls, logging contractors lose scheduled work and forest owners have fewer buyers. Pulp mills, pellet plants and energy producers may also receive fewer chips, bark and sawdust from sawmill operations.<\/p>\n US mills face a more selective market<\/strong><\/p>\n The US South remains North America\u2019s principal growth region for softwood lumber. Plantation sawlogs are widely available, timber costs are comparatively low and several modern mills have entered production during the past decade. The region is not experiencing the structural timber shortage found in British Columbia.<\/p>\n However, not every southern mill benefits equally. Southern Parallel Forest Products closed its Albertville sawmill in Alabama, affecting 62 employees. Hunt Forest Products closed its Olla operation in Louisiana in June, although the mill subsequently reopened under new ownership. C&C Forest Products announced a $21 million reconstruction project after its Coushatta sawmill was destroyed by fire.<\/p>\n The southern market is increasingly divided between modern, high-volume mills and smaller or older plants. New mills recover more lumber from each log and require fewer employees per unit of production. Older operations can have access to inexpensive sawlogs and still struggle with maintenance costs, labour requirements and limited product flexibility.<\/p>\n The reopening of Olla shows that capacity is sometimes transferred rather than eliminated. Domtar also restarted its Glenwood sawmill in Arkansas at the end of March, returning approximately 167 million board feet of annual capacity. Plantation Pine Products reopened the former Hood Industries sawmill at Metcalfe, Georgia.<\/p>\n Montrose becomes the latest case<\/strong><\/p>\n Neiman Enterprises has warned that Montrose Forest Products in Colorado could close within 60 days, placing approximately 90 jobs at risk. A final closure had not been confirmed when this report was prepared, so the mill should be treated as potential rather than completed capacity loss.<\/p>\n Montrose is important beyond its lumber output. Sawmills in the interior western United States provide markets for timber removed from public forests and forest-restoration projects. Without a nearby buyer, some timber can become uneconomic to harvest even when its removal is needed for forest management or fire-risk reduction.<\/p>\n A closure would therefore affect logging companies, timber transport and public forest programmes across western Colorado. Isolated regional mills are particularly vulnerable because they cannot rely on the dense timber and processing infrastructure available in the US South.<\/p>\n More production is being cut than closed<\/strong><\/p>\n The 2026 record is not comparable with the wave of permanent closures that followed the 2008 housing crash. Residential construction has weakened, but North America continues to consume substantial volumes of softwood lumber. The present adjustment is being made through indefinite curtailments, shorter working weeks and temporary shutdowns as much as through permanent closures.<\/p>\n Nominal capacity also differs from production actually removed. A seven-week shutdown at a mill rated at 240 million board feet does not eliminate its full annual capacity. Some curtailed mills were already running below their rated levels before the announcements.<\/p>\n Even with those qualifications, the geographical spread is notable. British Columbia\u2019s long-running timber problem has been joined by indefinite curtailments in Ontario and Quebec, permanent capacity loss in Alberta and new uncertainty in Saskatchewan and the western United States.<\/p>\n North America still has substantial installed sawmill capacity. Production is gradually moving toward mills that combine secure sawlog supplies, modern equipment and sufficient scale. Until lumber margins recover, additional downtime is more likely, and some of today\u2019s indefinite curtailments may never be reversed.<\/p>\n North American sawmill closures, curtailments and restarts affecting capacity in 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n Note:<\/strong> The table includes closures and curtailments announced in 2026, earlier shutdowns still affecting 2026 production, fire-related interruptions and mills that restarted or were proposed for reopening during the year. Capacity figures are nominal annual ratings where publicly available.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" North America entered September with a growing list of sawmill closures and production curtailments. The pressure remains strongest in Canada, but recent cases in Colorado, Alabama, Louisiana and California show that the adjustment is no longer confined to British Columbia. … Continue reading \n\n
\n \nCompany \/ mill<\/th>\n Location<\/th>\n Status affecting 2026<\/th>\n Annual capacity<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n \n Western Forest Products \u2014 Chemainus<\/strong><\/td>\n Chemainus, British Columbia<\/td>\n Shutdown extended through the whole of 2026<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Ferland-Boilleau Forestry Cooperative<\/strong><\/td>\n Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec<\/td>\n Indefinite closure announced in February 2026<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Domtar \u2014 Ignace<\/strong><\/td>\n Ignace, Ontario<\/td>\n Indefinite shutdown announced in March 2026<\/td>\n Part of Domtar\u2019s 150 MMbf Q1 reduction<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Southern Parallel Forest Products<\/strong><\/td>\n Albertville, Alabama<\/td>\n Permanent closure; 62 jobs affected<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Interfor \u2014 Nairn Centre<\/strong><\/td>\n Nairn Centre, Ontario<\/td>\n Indefinite curtailment announced in April 2026<\/td>\n Approximately 150 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Interfor \u2014 Gogama<\/strong><\/td>\n Gogama, Ontario<\/td>\n Indefinite curtailment announced in April 2026<\/td>\n Approximately 135 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Conifex Timber \u2014 Mackenzie<\/strong><\/td>\n Mackenzie, British Columbia<\/td>\n Approximately seven-week curtailment beginning in May<\/td>\n Approximately 240 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Western Forest Products \u2014 Cowichan Bay<\/strong><\/td>\n Cowichan Bay, British Columbia<\/td>\n Curtailment extended through September 2026<\/td>\n Approximately 170 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Carrier Forest Products \u2014 Big River<\/strong><\/td>\n Big River, Saskatchewan<\/td>\n Indefinite curtailment effective October 16, 2026<\/td>\n Approximately 250 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Canfor \u2014 Fox Creek<\/strong><\/td>\n Fox Creek, Alberta<\/td>\n Permanent closure scheduled by late summer 2026<\/td>\n 120 MMbf\/year<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Neiman Enterprises \u2014 Montrose Forest Products<\/strong><\/td>\n Montrose, Colorado<\/td>\n Closure proposed within 60 days; approximately 90 jobs at risk<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n West Fraser \u2014 Blue Ridge<\/strong><\/td>\n Blue Ridge, Alberta<\/td>\n Stopped after a January fire; production resumed in April<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Hunt Forest Products \u2014 Olla<\/strong><\/td>\n Olla, Louisiana<\/td>\n Closed in June and reopened under new ownership in July<\/td>\n Approximately 75 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Resolute Forest Products Lumber \u2014 Oroville<\/strong><\/td>\n Oroville, California<\/td>\n Fire-related production disruption in July<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n C&C Forest Products \u2014 Coushatta<\/strong><\/td>\n Coushatta, Louisiana<\/td>\n Sawmill destroyed by fire; $21 million reconstruction announced<\/td>\n Capacity being restored<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Robbins Lumber \u2014 Searsmont<\/strong><\/td>\n Searsmont, Maine<\/td>\n Temporary fire-related shutdown; full production resumed in June<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Interfor \u2014 Ear Falls<\/strong><\/td>\n Ear Falls, Ontario<\/td>\n Indefinite curtailment carried into 2026<\/td>\n Approximately 145 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n West Fraser \u2014 100 Mile House<\/strong><\/td>\n 100 Mile House, British Columbia<\/td>\n Permanent closure completed before 2026; capacity remained unavailable during the year<\/td>\n Approximately 160 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n West Fraser \u2014 Augusta<\/strong><\/td>\n Augusta, Georgia<\/td>\n Permanent closure completed before 2026; capacity absent from the 2026 market<\/td>\n Approximately 150 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Interfor \u2014 DeQuincy<\/strong><\/td>\n DeQuincy, Louisiana<\/td>\n Indefinite curtailment carried into 2026<\/td>\n Approximately 200 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Harrigan Lumber<\/strong><\/td>\n Monroeville, Alabama<\/td>\n Closure carried into the 2026 production balance<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n IndusTREE Timber<\/strong><\/td>\n Alexander City, Alabama<\/td>\n Sawmill closure continued to affect regional capacity in 2026<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Mackeys Ferry Sawmill<\/strong><\/td>\n Roper, North Carolina<\/td>\n Earlier closure continued to reduce available regional capacity in 2026<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Western Forest Products \u2014 Columbia Vista<\/strong><\/td>\n Vancouver, Washington<\/td>\n Fire-damaged sawmill remained out of production and was offered for sale in 2026<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Domtar \u2014 Glenwood<\/strong><\/td>\n Glenwood, Arkansas<\/td>\n Restarted in March after a shutdown of almost six months<\/td>\n Approximately 167 MMbf\/year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Plantation Pine Products \u2014 Metcalfe<\/strong><\/td>\n Metcalfe, Georgia<\/td>\n Former Hood Industries sawmill reopened in March 2026<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Arbec \u2014 Port-Cartier<\/strong><\/td>\n Port-Cartier, Quebec<\/td>\n Temporarily restarted to process accumulated sawlogs<\/td>\n Not publicly disclosed<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Malheur Lumber<\/strong><\/td>\n John Day, Oregon<\/td>\n Federal funding announced to support a proposed restart and mill upgrade<\/td>\n Currently inactive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Prairie Wood Products<\/strong><\/td>\n Prairie City, Oregon<\/td>\n Included in a federally backed programme to restore Grant County processing capacity<\/td>\n Currently inactive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n