Emotional day in Espanola as Domtar begins main round of layoffs

Thursday was the last day of work for many of the 450 employees at Espanola's pulp and paper mill.

Earlier in September Domtar announced it would indefinitely shut down the plant, marking the end of an industry that has been at the heart of the community for over 100 years.

The mill provided a living for generations of residents, like Charles Lacasse who followed in his father's footsteps and worked there from the moment he graduated high school to his retirement a few years ago. 

"I never thought I'd see Espanola without a mill," he said, noting that the facility is part of the town's fabric and has shaped the lives of many of its 5000 or so residents.

"It's just sad for the young people. It was always the mill that kept people going around here." 

For Lacasse, Domtar was more than just a job. Although he retired in 2017, he meets up with his former coworkers every day. 

"We go over to the mall to talk and gossip about things that were going on and our time working there," he said. "We have memories and friends for life. We're family, that's how it is." 

Lacasse says everyone experienced bouts of uncertainty throughout the years as the business changed hands, but that the situation never got to a point where the mill was indefinitely idled. 

"There were hard times in the 38 years I was there, but I never got laid off, not even once." 

Similar to a grieving process

There is a sense of mourning around the table on Thursday as Lacasse goes out for coffee with  other Domtar retirees. 

Many speak of the investments Domtar could or should have done to prevent this from happening. 

Anger, sadness and loss are some of the feelings the community is experiencing as it loses its main employer, explains psychotherapist Stacey Roles. 

The network of northeastern Ontario clinics she owns and directs, Roles and Associate Psychotherapy Services, offers free therapy sessions to those impacted by the closure of the mill. 

"There's a loss of sense of community and there's a grief that people are experiencing for themselves and their financial state and for their families," she said.

Roles says many workers are still figuring out next steps, with some having to decide whether they will commute to other areas for work or if they will uproot their families. 

She says the uncertainty and the change can be difficult to navigate, and that behavioral therapy can help people work towards decreasing and managing anxiety.

Although it is an overall loss, Roles believes the situation is also creating new possibilities. 

"There will be individuals who explore things they may not have otherwise done, like what else they may want to do, or where else they may want to live," she said. 

Some worry about the impact on the local economy 

Shortly after Domtar announced it was idling the decades-old plant on Spanish river, town council struck a reassuring tone. 

Mayor Douglas Gervais said Espanola has a lot to offer, being less than an hour's drive away from Sudbury and a regional hub for smaller surrounding communities such as Manitoulin Island, Sagamok Anishnawbek and Massey. 

Still, some residents expressed concern that the closure could hurt businesses and the price of homes in the area. 

Espanola real estate agent Rolly Leclair, who also worked at Domtar for 30 years, says it's too early to assess the full impact of the idling of the mill on the local economy.

He noticed prices and demand for homes dropped slightly in recent weeks, but adds business always tends to slow down in colder months as people avoid moving in winter.

"Spring will tell the tale," he said. "Domtar could get sold, it could get reopened and everything could go back to normal. It's going to be a guessing game."

More layoffs are expected to take place in January as the mill completes winding down operations. 

Fewer than twenty employees are expected to remain on site as part of the care and maintenance of the facility after May 2024.