British Columbia

Domtar announced the permanent closure of its pulp mill in Crofton, British Columbia, resulting in 350 workers being laid off effective February 2026. The company cited lack of access to economically viable wood fibre as the primary reason for the closure.

Sinclar Group Forest Products announced a 40 per cent reduction in work hours affecting approximately 350 sawmill workers across three B.C. mills (Lakeland Mills in Prince George, Apollo Forest Products in Fort St. James, and Nechako Lumber Co. in Vanderhoof) effective October 27, 2025. The cutbacks were attributed to Trump tariffs and duties on Canadian softwood exports, combined with provincial policy challenges and fibre supply uncertainty.

Vancouver, Canada-based Canfor Corp. is closing sawmills in Darlington and Estill, South Carolina, laying off 290 workers. The company cited persistently weak market conditions and sustained financial losses as reasons for the mill closures.

West Fraser announced a mill closure in 100 Mile House, British Columbia, resulting in 165 job losses. The layoffs were announced on November 7, 2025.

Island Health has eliminated 117 non-union jobs as part of a cost-cutting exercise under provincial direction, representing approximately 5% of the organization's 2,500 non-contract employees. The cuts are part of a mandate to reduce administrative roles and redirect resources toward front-line patient care, with a target of up to 10% reduction expected to continue for a few more weeks.

Klue Labs CEO Jason Smith announced layoffs of 85 employees (40% of workforce) in June 2025 as part of a strategic shift to integrate generative AI into all operations and improve competitiveness. The company offered voluntary buyout packages while also conducting involuntary layoffs across all departments, with the expectation that remaining employees would embrace AI tools.

Kwantlen Polytechnic University announced plans for up to 45 additional full-time staff layoffs due to a 60% decline in international student enrolment caused by federal government study permit processing delays and increased denial rates. The cuts are necessary to address a projected $5-10 million revenue drop for the 2025-26 budget, with eight business school instructors receiving layoff notices with January 2026 end dates.

Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, B.C. is laying off approximately 40 staff members (with union bumping considered) out of 65 initially notified, due to a $7-10 million budget deficit. The layoffs are part of broader cost-cutting measures and follow a federal decision to reduce international student permits, which has created financial pressures across Canadian universities.

The Vancouver Art Gallery is cutting approximately 30% of its staff (34 employees) and reducing programming by 30% to balance its budget. The reductions include 16 voluntary departures and 18 layoffs, with additional job losses possible through a union seniority process affecting all departments.

Rennie cut its Vancouver headquarters office workforce from 123 to 92 staff members due to prolonged weakness in condominium pre-sales across Metro Vancouver and broader structural economic headwinds. The layoff was driven by continued market challenges in British Columbia and Canada, as well as accelerating technological trends in real estate marketing practices.

Drax, a U.K.-based renewable energy company, announced the closure of its wood pellet plant in Williams Lake, B.C., effective by the end of 2025, resulting in 30 job losses. The closure is attributed to the curtailment and closure of nearby sawmills and reduced fibre availability, making operations no longer commercially viable.

Selkirk College is closing its Kootenay Studio Arts campus in Nelson at the end of the academic year, resulting in the loss of 10 full-time and part-time positions. The closure is attributed to financial pressures caused by federal cuts to international student study permits, which has reduced a major revenue source for the college.

Okanagan College is laying off four faculty/instructors and closing the Modern Languages department due to a projected loss of 600-700 international students. The college previously offered a voluntary early retirement incentive program (ERIP) to mitigate layoffs, but additional difficult staffing decisions are expected in the coming weeks and months.

The College of New Caledonia is facing program cuts and suspensions, with eight programs already cut and additional suspensions anticipated. The cuts are attributed to federal changes to international student laws and the college's over-reliance on international student funding.

Selkirk College in British Columbia laid off faculty and staff due to a 32% drop in international student enrollment this year, resulting in a projected $3-4 million budget shortfall. The college also closed several learning centers and specialized arts programs as it adapted to new federal immigration rules that rendered popular post-graduate programs ineligible for post-graduate work permits.

The City of Vancouver has implemented a back-to-office mandate requiring non-union employees to return five days per week and unionized staff three days per week starting January 1, 2026, amid cost-cutting measures ahead of the 2026 budget. Some non-union employees have already been laid off in recent months, with potentially hundreds of additional job cuts expected, and the city manager has mentioned offering early retirement and incentives for departure from the organization.

Coast Mountain College in northwest British Columbia is closing its Hazelton campus and cutting staff by approximately 20 percent to offset a $4 million annual budget shortfall caused by a 90 percent drop in international student enrollment. The college is also selling buildings in Houston and Kitimat while maintaining operations in Terrace, Prince Rupert, Smithers, and Haida Gwaii.