What’s up with the mill site?

WHOOSH: Above, water from the Powell River powers the Brookfield dam (photo by Ryk Tataryn).

Back in February, the Mill was “indefinitely curtailed” by owner Paper Excellence. The move came after several years of long temporary shutdowns and layoffs. No one was surprised by the shuttering, but the announcement still sent shock waves over the future of local employment, industrial taxation, and potential future use for the site.

The 300-acre Mill is listed as “for sale” on Colliers Canada. It’s described as: “situated directly on the waterfront, Tis’kwat represents an excellent opportunity for a large-scale industrial user to acquire a highly developable site with direct access to significant electricity and natural gas services, deep water access, and close proximity to major markets and employment,” but no price is listed.

Paper Excellence, however, told qL that the mill isn’t really for sale.

“We haven’t yet even decided to permanently close Tis’kwat let alone land on a sale price,” wrote communications manager Graeme Kissack in an email to qL. “Its listed so we can get an idea of the site’s value. We have been working on a decision as to whether the site continues to make pulp and paper products or we sell it to be re-purposed.”

In May, Tla’amin Nation wrote a letter claiming the site which was sold in 1874 “without [our] knowledge or consent.” On September 15, the Nation issued a media release that it sent a letter of intent to Paper Excellence, saying that the Nation plans to buy the “mill and all of its industrial assets.” The Nation has also signed an MOU with Pacific Hydrogen to develop a hydrogen fuel facility on the site.

- Pieta Woolley