CAN: Catalyst Paper Closes One Mill, Reduces Workforce

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http://www.vancouversun.com
Catalyst Paper closes one mill, reduces workforce at another

Company has given four municipalities a deadline over its $23-million tax burden
By Gordon Hamilton, Vancouver Sun
February 20, 2009

Catalyst Paper is shutting down its Campbell River paper mill and restructuring its Powell River mill, laying off more than 525 people...

The mill closure/layoffs come in the wake of a threat by the company to shut down one of its mills if it does not get relief on its municipal taxes of $23 million a year .

http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainme ... story.html

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http://www.theglobeandmail.com
LOOMING LEGAL BATTLE
Port Alberni ready to take on paper mill in tax dispute
BRENNAN CLARKE
Special to the Globe and Mail
May 18, 2009

VICTORIA -- [I]f Catalyst Paper...hold[s] back $3.3M in property taxes from the municipality, Port Alberni Mayor Ken McRae...will...pursue the company in court...

"If you don't pay your taxes, you're breaking the law ... [T]here's no doubt in my mind Catalyst is going to break the law..," McRae said.

Catalyst announced it will only pay a flat [annual] property tax rate of $1.5M, based on consumption of municipal services.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ ... y/National

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Town wins tax spat with paper mill
Saturday, October 17, 20097
CBC News

A southern Vancouver Island community won the first round of a tax battle with one of B.C.'s major pulp/paper companies.

Catalyst Paper Corp. had refused to pay its full municipal tax bill to four Vancouver Island municipalities, arguing in B.C. Supreme Court that the tax rate was unfair.

Supreme Court Justice Peter Voith said in a judgment released Friday that bylaws setting Catalyst's tax rate in North Cowichan are sound.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columb ... attle.html

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National News
B.C. towns suffer as major pulp and paper companies refuse to pay taxes
December 5, 2009 |Camille Bains, THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER, B.C. - Water/sewer services have been slashed, major infrastructure projects have come to a halt and court battles are underway in several communities where pulp/paper companies are refusing to pay millions of dollars in taxes.

From the north coast city of Prince Rupert, B.C., to four Vancouver Island communities and Castlegar in the Kootenay region, businesses claim unfair tax rates must be changed to reflect the current economic crisis that has hit them so hard.

http://www.thefreepress.ca/article/GB/2 ... late=cpArt

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Catalyst Paper laying off 70; Company cites poor demand
Friday, January 22nd, 2010 | 7:22 am
Canwest News Service

Catalyst Paper is indefinitely laying off about 70 people at its operations in Coquitlam and Crofton.

The Richmond-based pulp-and-paper maker said Thursday that poor demand is forcing it to indefinitely idle a paper machine at its Crofton plant and a de-inking facility in Coquitlam.

About 36 of the layoffs will be in Crofton and 34 at the company's paper recycling facility in Coquitlam.

http://www.kelowna.com/2010/01/22/catal ... or-demand/