The future of Burns Lake's Keyoh Dechun Ilah (KDI) finger jointing mill is uncertain.
Since late last summer the First Nations owned mill has not been operational after a gradual shutdown.
The Burns Lake Keyoh Dechun Ilah Ltd. partnership started operations in April 2008 as a partnership between the Burns Lake Band, Cheslatta Carrier Nation, Lake Babine Nation, Nee Tahi Buhn Band, Skin Tyee Nation and Wet’suwet’en First Nation.
Each of the six First Nations serve as equal-owning, limited partners and 497107 B.C. Ltd., which is owned by the Burns Lake Native Development Corporation (BLNDC) serves as the general partner.
According to BLNDC's general manager and financial controller Alex Tett, it is not yet known when or if the mill will start up operations again.
"At the moment there is no expected reopening date," he said to Lakes District News.
KDI operates in the block processing industry by buying trim ends in bulk form from local area sawmills and processing them into finger-joint ready blocks.
KDI also installed its own finger jointer during 2009 and 2010 and was capable of processing the blocks into finger-jointed lumber.
Tett attributes the mill's closure to the unstable markets for their product.
"Finished product prices were very volatile last year," Tett added.