I am fortunate to be a team member at Canfor Pulp where employees are part of a supportive community and encouraging work environment. I have many colleagues that contribute to employee engagement and well-being and are role models for future employees. One such example is Canfor Pulp’s Ben Bittner – once a co-op student, Ben is now in the Fibreline at Northwood Pulp Mill as a process engineer. I interviewed Ben and get his perspective on employee and community engagement.
JM: What has your experience with Canfor Pulp been like so far?
BB: I moved to Prince George and joined Canfor Pulp as a co-op student in 2018. I’ve always felt a strong sense of community here. Everyone has been supportive, collaborative, and eager to pass their knowledge and experience to me. It is not only a positive work environment but over time, Prince George has become my home.
I finished my engineering degree at the University of Alberta and moved back to Prince George and rejoined Canfor Pulp. The employees really do care about each other, their families, and the community they live in.
JM: Can you elaborate on how Canfor Pulp supports the community?
BB: I have seen my team give back to the community through a variety of ways from annual United Way campaigns, winter clothing drives for the Salvation Army, and food bank drives at Christmas. Canfor does a lot of work across our operations through the Good Things Come From Trees community giving program. Last Christmas the technical team sponsored a local family right here in Prince George, purchasing Christmas presents and clothes for the kids along with gift cards for the mother to help support the family through the holiday season and beyond.
JM: Northwood Pulp Mill recently held a staff appreciation day, how did that event contribute to employee engagement?
BB: The recent Northwood Pulp Mill staff appreciation day is a great example of how Canfor Pulp recognizes its team and fosters a sense of community. Northwood employees were able to bring their kids on site and do tours of the pulp machines and warehouses and see some of the inner workings of the mill. Before their tour, the kids stopped by the Learning Center where I provided a crash course on how we transform wood chips into the sheets of bleached pulp they would see being made on the tour. It was great to see how excited and engaged everyone was. The kids learned a lot about where everyday pulp and paper products come from. Even a few of the parents said they learned something new.
JM: It sounds like an interesting event, what was your favourite part?
BB: Events like this help showcase the opportunities, innovations, and sustainability of the forest products industry to the next generation. As an engineer I always love showing kids what I get to do as part of my job. It gives me a chance to inspire young eager minds into possibly perusing a career in engineering later in life. Maybe one of them will someday walk back through those doors as a co-op student full of bright ideas and eager to make a difference, just like I did not so long ago.
Conclusion
Canfor Pulp is passionate about supporting employees and engaging with our community and Ben’s experiences are a prime example of how the company achieves this. I’m glad to be a part of this team.
