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Tla’amin Nation submits offer to buy Paper Excellence mill on site of ancestral village

The Tla’amin Nation has sent a letter of intent to Paper Excellence  to purchase the 300-acre mill site and all of its industrial assets located at  tiskʷat, its ancestral village.

The property, located on the Sunshine Coast in B.C., is currently home to the shuttered paper mill, decommissioned concrete warships, and a landfill.

“More than 100 years ago, our people were forced from our ancient village at tiskʷat. Our people have never benefitted in any way from the many millions of dollars extracted from the mill that was built over our village. We have never relinquished our claim to what was once a beautiful place, with a thriving sockeye salmon run. Our letter of intent is an important step to reclaiming our land and demonstrating the important benefits that local ownership can offer the region. As we move toward an offer to purchase the site and re-acquire our traditional lands and waters, we celebrate the resilience, strength and determination of our people,” Tla’amin Hegus (Chief) John Hackett said.

The Tla’amin Nation has established a memorandum of understanding with Pacific Hydrogen Canada for a potential green energy project at the site.

“Positive discussions with Pacific Hydrogen are ongoing further to the memorandum of understanding announced on August 17th with regard to a possible clean, green energy project at tiskʷat. And Tla’amin continues to work closely with its treaty partners at the federal and provincial governments on initiatives related to land reclamation, habitat restoration and economic development opportunities at the site,” the Nation said in a statement.