The News Show Ep. 9: Downie Selkirk Mill tour
Today’s episode is an audio tour of the Downie Selkirk Mill in Revelstoke. The mill takes up a chunk of prime real estate in town, tucked against the river at the bottom of Southside. Over 200 people work there, making it one of Revelstoke’s largest single employers. The Gormon Group of companies owns Downie Selkirk mill. The company is based in West Kelowna, Nick Arkle is the CEO. The Gormon Group owns a mill is West Kelowna, called Gormon Brothers Lumber. It also owns a mill in Lumby, one in Canoe near Salmon Arm, and one over the border in Washington State.
Donald Trump started his second term as president of the United States in January, that’s when his tariff threats against Canada escalated. The US already charges Canada to sell it lumber–the long standing disagreement between the countries is called the softwood lumber dispute. And Trump was threatening to increase the tax it charges Canada to export wood to the US, to devastating amounts. So far, it hasn’t happened. But the threats made me curious to know how the company was responding. I’ve spoken to Nick Arkle twice since January. The majority of the people buying the boards that come out of Downie Selkirk, are American. Americans, are the ones who will have to pay more as a result of their president’s tariffs. And the relationships between the Gormon Brothers and their customers are longstanding, we’re talking generations. Arkle told me the customers are too important to lose. So the company was planning to absorb some of the cost of the tariffs, so they wouldn’t impact their customers as badly. So, a business as usual strategy.
It’s also business as usual at the mill. Click the audio link above to listen to the tour.
Also on the show, updated information on the upcoming federal election. Revelstoke is in the Kamloops-Shuswap-Central Rockies riding. We have an NDP candidate now, Phaedra Idzan from Salmon Arm. Also running are Owen Madden for the Greens, Michael Henry for the People’s Party of Canada, Mel Arnold for the Conservatives and Kennith Robertson for the Liberals. Check out last week’s show for more information on them. Stay tuned to Stoke FM as I strive to interview all the candidates before advance polls open on April 18.
meagan@stokefm.com
