CANTON – It was a lot of tears, hugs and friends biddig each other adieu, after the Canton paper mill sounded its final bell this week [May 24[, signaling the permanent closure of the iconic site, and the loss of hundreds of jobs.
Pactiv Evergreen, the packaging company that owns the Canton mill, and has been an economic staple in the small mountain town for over a century, announced the closure on March 6 with under 90 days of notice for Canton citizens. Layoffs due to the mill’s closure number over 1,000.
MEANWHILE…
The city of Canton in partnership with several other organizations published a website to provide those impacted by the closure with a an array of resources including job training opportunities, health insurance, financial assistance. The website also features displays of appreciation for mill workers, and a planned June 16 cookout was also announced.
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