The closure of Eurocan could put 2,000 residents out of a job, says the Kitimat Chamber of Commerce president.

“We were all completely shocked and truly devastated by the news,” Tony Brady told the Sentinel.

“We realize the impact is going to be devastating for the employees and their families, but also the businesses that service the mill directly and indirectly.”

The sudden announcement that West Fraser Timber is cutting 535 jobs is a crushing blow for a city that was primed to expand.

“You’re taking 30 per cent of your high-paid work force, and you’re eliminating it,” said Brady.

“There are businesses that exist today in Kitimat that solely service Eurocan, and then there are businesses that the majority of their business belongs to Eurocan. For those businesses, it’s going to be catastrophic.”

Brady said an even larger problem for the business community will probably be what happens to those employees, their families and the service businesses that are here for the people in the community.

“You’re looking at a combined total of 2,000 jobs that potentially could be lost in Kitimat and nothing to replace that,” he added.

Brady explained that for the last decade local businesses have endured difficult economic times in the hopes the city would one day meet its potential.

“A lot of these businesses have been hanging on by a thread in hopes of new industrial projects moving forward,” he said. “We were always in the hopes of, we’re at bottom, and we need to do what we can to diversify our community and grow our community.”

Now, with the impending closure of one of the largest area industries, Kitimat could find itself in dire straits.

“I think if we don’t do something, then yes, the bottom is going to fall out of our community and it could potentially be in shambles,” said Brady.

The local Chamber of Commerce is hoping to put together a task force to find solutions to the economic instability and job replacement, he noted, adding that at a higher level, the economic model in BC should be overhauled.

“We’re moving backwards,” he said. “We’ve seen business after business after business struggle and have issues. The model that’s in existence today isn’t working for our economy.”

Municipal council has already begun working hard to find answers to combat the mill closure and they deserve kudos, said Brady.