As you enter Témiscaming, Quebec, the paper mill dominates the skyline. Built over a century ago, the town grew around the mill and its surrounding forests of pine, birch, spruce, and fir. However, the mill now sits idle after trade negotiations between Canada and the US collapsed, leading to increased tariffs imposed by former President Donald Trump.
Most of the 360 employees are currently out of work but are receiving partial government support due to the tariffs. For residents like Nadine Suley, the closure of the mill represents not just a loss of income but a disruption of their way of life. Suley, who doesn’t identify as “a city girl,” plans to go moose hunting to make use of the short season, joking that they might need the free meat this year.
“It’s not just a job; it’s our home,” Suley remarked, expressing her feelings that the US tariffs feel like “a personal attack.” In early October, the American owner, RYAM, announced an “economic shutdown” of the mill for an indefinite period.
Property values in Témiscaming have plummeted, with “For Sale” signs appearing in the yards of many modest homes. There are growing concerns that essential service workers, from grocery clerks to local hospital doctors, may also leave the area.
“If the mill goes down, it’ll turn into a ghost town,” said Ronnie Raymond, whose family has worked in the mill for generations. “There’ll be nothing left. There’s no work for anyone, really. It’s scary.”
