Jun 22, 2005. /Lesprom Network/. Following the decision by the Quebec Superior Court granting the Betsiamites Innu a safeguard order that temporarily forbids Kruger Inc. to perform harvesting and forest management activities on Île René-Levasseur, the company is forced to layoff 153 workers on the North Shore. Thus, between July and October, the company will gradually abolish 91 jobs in the forest, and one work shift each at the Manic sawmill in Ragueneau, the HCN sawmill in Forestville, and the Longue Rive dressing and drying plant, for as long as the Order remains in effect. “Granting of the Safeguard Order deprives Kruger Inc. of 288,000 cubic meters of wood (the forest volume located on and to the north of Île René-Levasseur), to which we must add the loss of 200,000 cubic meters related to implementation of recommendations from the Coulombe Commission, for a total 44%-reduction of the company’s forest volume. If this significant reduction in forest supplies is permanent, it will directly affect the competitiveness of the Kruger mills on the North Shore, and the company is currently looking at all options that will allow it to maintain viable operations in the region in the long term. Kruger Inc. would also like to point out that Île René-Levasseur constitutes the only economically viable access route to the forest volume situated on the mainland, to the north of the island,” said Mr. Jean Majeau, vice president of corporate affairs.