Relief comes in many forms. For most people, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that relief will come in the form of a vaccination shot in the arm, or make that two (unless the Johnson & Johnson single-shot vaccine is an option here).
For Catalyst Powell River employees recently recalled to work, although one of those shots would be welcome, entering the mill gates on or around May 1 will come as a big relief, too. The announced startup ends several months of speculation about the future of the parent company, Paper Excellence, and its plans for the facility that has been shut down for nearly a year thanks to a malware attack and aforementioned pandemic, which added to complications in global paper markets over the past year.
Unifor Local 76 president Bill Spence referred to the startup as part of “baby steps” that bode well for the community. His comments can also be applied to vaccinations about to get underway in Powell River, which also bode well for the community, as baby steps will need to be applied by everyone while waiting for herd immunity to protect the population.
Health guidelines and protocols will still have to be followed in the short-term, or longer, meaning those workers returning to the mill will likely be wearing face masks when dusting off and donning hardhats as the operation gets underway in seven weeks time.
Masks are just another piece of safety gear now. The shot in the arm the local economy will receive due to 200 residents returning to work is well worth the added attire.
