TAYLOR, B.C. (From news reports) -- Canfor says it doesn't expect to consider restarting its Taylor pulp mill until next spring.

Michelle Ward, a spokesperson for Canfor, says, based on ongoing discussions with the company's transportation partners, the supply chain backlog is not expected to significantly improve before the end of the year.

She adds that winter is generally a more challenging time for rail transportation.

This follows Canfor's statement on Monday that production capacity at most solid wood facilities across the province will be reduced for two weeks, starting September 26th.

The curtailment will be followed by the resumption of reduced operating schedules until the end of 2022.

"We are temporarily curtailing production in B.C. due to reduced market demand," said Don Kayne, the president and CEO of Canfor.

"We will leverage our global operating platform to prioritize the requirements of our customers."

Employees will have the opportunity to work during the downtime to complete maintenance projects and other site activities to "limit the impact," said a release.

In August, in its second-quarter results for 2022, Canfor said the Taylor Pulp Mill curtailment will continue until "more normal" transportation levels resume.

The initial Taylor mill curtailment was announced in February 2022, followed by a six-week extension in March.

"A small crew of about 20 people will be maintained at the mill to facilitate shipments as we receive rail cars," Ward said back in May.

The company cited transportation issues when initially announcing the curtailment, saying the shortages resulted in "continued high finished product inventories" at the pulp mill.

According to the second-quarter results, the curtailment at Taylor Pulp Mill has resulted in reduced production by about 60,000 tonnes.

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