September 22, 2021 – Vancouver, British Columbia – Western Forest Products Inc (“Western” or the “Company”) and the Public and Private Workers of Canada, Local 8 (“PPWC”) are pleased to announce they have reached a new collective agreement for Western’s Value Added Division, located in Chemainus, British Columbia.

The new 8-year agreement covers approximately 70 hourly employees and commences October 15, 2021. The agreement aligns employee and business needs to support attraction and retention and provides general wage increases as follows:

“We are pleased to have collaboratively addressed employee and business needs,” said Don Demens, President and Chief Executive Officer, Western Forest Products. “The new collective agreement provides market competitive wages and benefits to attract, retain, and recognize our employees at the Value-Added Division, who are a critical part of supplying high-value coastal wood products to our customers around the world”.

“This is a fair agreement that reflects the constructive relationship between Western and PPWC. Our members are looking forward to moving forward under the terms of the new agreement, which provides security and certainty for our members as we continue to contribute to a strong coastal forest industry,” said Rod Gallant, President, PPWC, Local 8.

About Western Forest Products Inc.
Western is an integrated forest products company building a margin-focused log and lumber business to compete successfully in global softwood markets. With operations and employees located primarily on the coast of British Columbia and Washington State, Western is a premier supplier of high-value, specialty forest products to worldwide markets. Western has a lumber capacity in excess of 1.0 billion board feet from seven sawmills and four remanufacturing facilities. The Company sources timber from its private lands, long-term licenses, First Nations arrangements, and market purchases. Western supplements its production through a wholesale program providing customers with a comprehensive range of specialty products.

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