Domtar and the Tla’amin Nation have signed an historic tiskwat land agreement. The company and the Nation signed the agreement at a ceremony on Friday, March 14, in Tla’amin Territory.
Through the agreement, Tla’amin Nation will reacquire a substantial portion of land at the former tiskwat paper mill site in Powell River, British Columbia.
tiskwat was a large and important village site that holds both historical and contemporary significance for the Tla’amin people.
“The tiskwat land agreement is the result of a shared journey of learning and understanding between Domtar and the Nation,” says Lana Wilhelm, Domtar’s Director of Indigenous Relations. ”We are grateful to the Tla’amin Nation representatives for their patience in walking with us on a path of collaboration to ensure a promising future for these lands.”
The agreement is the result of years of work and commitment by both parties, which began with the renaming of the mill site in 2021 from Powell River Paper Mill to tiskwat Paper Mill. Collaboration continued in a mutually respectful way to reach this agreement after the mill ceased operations.
“We want to thank our ancestors who never gave up on tiskwat,” says Tla'amin Nation Hegus (Chief) John Hackett. “We also recognize Domtar’s commitment to staying the course with us when negotiations got tough. Reconnecting with this place—once the original commercial hub of our territory, a center of trade and prosperity for thousands of years—is deeply emotional. We look forward to once again exercising our responsibilities to these lands.”
For Domtar, the agreement with Tla’amin Nation is a tangible demonstration of our commitment to values-based engagement with Indigenous Peoples.
“Our company’s owner, Jackson Wijaya, challenged us to forge a new path and create a lasting legacy for the Tla’amin rights-holders, Domtar and the community of Powell River,” says Wilhelm. “The Tla’amin Nation land reacquisition agreement shows how we put our words into action and walk the talk on reconciliation.”
While the tiskwat land agreement includes a large portion of the former mill site being reacquired by the Tla’amin Nation, another segment of land will be sold by Domtar to one or more third parties that will engage in industrial redevelopment. This will ensure that these lands will also continue to create economic benefits for the broader community of Powell River well into the future.
Find out more about Indigenous Relations at Domtar.
- Domtar Funds Indigenous-led Conservation in Canada through 30x30 Program
- Building Tomorrow's Leaders
- Indigenous Partnership Success Showcase 2024 (IPSS)
- Domtar Speakers Shared the Stage at PaperWeek Canada
Additional Media - Historic tiskwat Land Agreement with Domtar, March 14, 2025
