NDP Leader Howard Hampton says Northern Ontario forest industry communities need hydro rate reductions now to sustain jobs and avoid more layoffs in the forest sector.

More than 2000 forest sector workers, across Northern Ontario, have lost their jobs since the October provincial election.

“No one has any control over George Bush’s misguided economic policies that have simultaneously driven down the American dollar and driven up the value of the Canadian dollar, but the McGuinty Liberals de control hydro-rates and the McGuinty Liberals should reduce industrial hydro-rates to 4.5 cents/kilowatt hour to help sustain forest sector jobs,” Hampton said.

Hampton also called for forest policy changes and the appointment of a Jobs Commissioner to work with forest sector companies, unions, workers and communities to take the necessary actions to sustain jobs.

“Instead of blaming Ottawa, or blaming George Bush, the McGuinty Liberals should use the control they have over hydro rates and forest policy to sustain forest sector jobs,” Hampton said.

On Thursday, Domtar announced it will indefinitely idle its fine paper mill in Dryden, costing 200 workers their jobs. Also, Buchanan Forest Products announced that it’s idling its sawmills in Atikokan, Sioux Lookout, Dubreilville and Thunder Bay (Northern Hardwoods) until at least January, a move that will affect 800 workers.

Since the McGuinty Liberals became government, Northern Ontario has lost over 50,000 direct and indirect forest-sector jobs.