Tag Archives: tiskʷat Mill

Indigenous Nations History

Tla’amin Nation set to reclaim village of tiskʷat 151 years after it was taken: ‘It’s like a long lost relative’

Indiginews, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

For the Tla’amin Nation, the loss of their village site tiskʷat has been like “a missing limb” for the community, according to Dillon Johnson.

Their home and salmon fishing site was stolen and sold by “British Columbia” 151 years ago at a time when the community’s population was decimated by disease.

For the next seven generations, Tla’amin people were separated from tiskʷat. People were moved onto reserves, salmon runs were all but wiped out by construction of a new dam, and a paper mill began operating on the site.

Continue reading Tla’amin Nation set to reclaim village of tiskʷat 151 years after it was taken: ‘It’s like a long lost relative’ →
History

IWD & Memories of the mill: One Woman’s Work

By Ruth Perfitt, originally published on qathet Living

You might say I worked in my Grandfather’s footsteps. My maternal Grandfather, Ray Olsen, was one of the first employees at the mill. The family lived around Powell Lake (Olsen’s Valley) and he started with the mill in the grinder rooms. He and another fellow would travel by boat from Olsen’s Landing down to the mill, often staying the week in town at a place on Poplar Street and rowing back up on weekends bringing supplies for the family.

Continue reading IWD & Memories of the mill: One Woman’s Work →
Rivers & Oceans

Where to find qathet’s Ghost Salmon

qathet Living, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dam building over the last century destroyed all of qathet’s major salmon runs, and several small ones, too. Just a whisper remains of this region’s once-majestic returns.

Local experts are re-imagining these rivers for the future. For salmon. For ecosystems. And for reconciliation.

Standing on the rocky banks of the Powell River, you can see zero salmon. But 100 years ago, before the mill, you would have seen thousands.

These are the ghost salmon.

Continue reading Where to find qathet’s Ghost Salmon →
Business, Jobs

Hope for the future of the tiskʷat mill site

The tiskʷat Mill has been a cornerstone of Powell River’s prosperity for more than a century. While it no longer has a future producing newsprint, up until two weeks ago it seemed like the site was on the verge of being reborn as a hydrogen company. Then Paper Excellence refused Renewable Hydrogen Canada’s offer and listed their property with an International Real Estate firm. 

Continue reading Hope for the future of the tiskʷat mill site →
Forests, Indigenous Nations

Unfinished business between First Nations and Catalyst Paper Excellence

qathet Living, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

“We are working closely with the Hegus John Hackett and the Tla’amin Executive Council to ensure the steps we take in building this new relationship are thoughtful and measured.” 

That’s what Catalyst Paper Excellence stated in a media release on September 24, 2021, when the company announced the re-naming of the local mill to Catalyst tiskwat.

Less than three months later, on December 1, Catalyst made another announcement: the indefinite curtailment of this mill.

Continue reading Unfinished business between First Nations and Catalyst Paper Excellence →