KAPUSKASING, ON and THUNDER BAY, ON — October 17, 2025 —The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association (NOMA) and the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (FONOM) welcome the statement from the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for FedNor, reaffirming the federal government’s support for Kap Paper and the workers and families of Kapuskasing.
Both organizations extend their appreciation to Minister Hajdu and the Government of Canada for recognizing the critical importance of the forestry and pulp & paper sector to Northern Ontario’s economy. This commitment underscores the value of sustained federal engagement in supporting communities that form the backbone of Canada’s resource economy.
“We appreciate Minister Hajdu’s leadership and the federal government’s continued attention to the challenges facing Kap Paper,” said Rick Dumas, NOMA President and Mayor of Marathon. “The North’s workers, businesses, and communities have proven time and again that when governments step up, they deliver. This recognition of Kapuskasing’s vital role in the regional and national economy is a positive step forward.”
At the same time, both associations stress that urgent and coordinated action is required to ensure long-term stability across Northern Ontario’s forestry and resource sectors. With the recent announcement of the idling of the Ear Falls sawmill, the vulnerability of Northern industries has once again been brought into sharp focus.
“Now more than ever, we need the Government of Canada — led by Prime Minister Mark Carney — and the Province of Ontario, under Premier Doug Ford, to work at lightspeed to secure a fair and durable trade agreement with the United States that protects, strengthens, and rebuilds lasting economic viability for sawmills like Ear Falls and mills like Kap Paper,” said Dave Plourde, FONOM President and Mayor of Kapuskasing. “The people of Northern Ontario deserve stability and certainty — and we cannot afford to lose another cornerstone industry.”
NOMA and FONOM continue to call on all levels of government — federal, provincial, municipal, and Indigenous — along with labour and industry partners to remain united and focused on developing a comprehensive, long-term strategy that safeguards jobs, fosters innovation, and ensures the future of Northern Ontario’s forestry sector for generations to come.
The forestry and pulp & paper industries remain pillars of Northern Ontario’s economy, supporting thousands of direct and indirect jobs, local businesses, and community services. Both associations reaffirm their commitment to advocating for a sustainable, modern, and competitive forestry sector that continues to drive growth and opportunity across the North.