Sawmills in Ear Falls and Kenora are taking advantage of the ongoing recovery in the lumber sector and are ramping up production.

Unifor national representative Stephen Boon said Wednesday that they are happy to see EACOM’s Ear Falls sawmill start full production earlier this week with an addition of a second shift (on) Monday.

The Ear Falls mill now employs 110 Unifor members with another 150 members working across the company’s woodlands operations.

“The good news for the region’s forest sector continues as Kenora Forest Products is also making final preparations for a long-awaited sawmill start-up by early February,” Boon said. “The Kenora operation has gone through a major expansion and upgrade over the last six months and a trial lumber production run will take place in mid-January to start testing and fine-tuning equipment for its first production shift.”

Kenora Forest Products will employ almost 110 Unifor members and top rates of pay will be at the top of Eastern Canada’s sawmill industry, reaching just under $42 per hour by 2020, he said.