Nearly half of the former mill site at tiskwat will be reacquired by the Tla’amin Nation.
On Friday, the Nation announced they are set to reacquire 120 acres of the site after almost two years of negotiations. This includes lands that front the river and ocean.
This comes 146 years after the lands were taken from the Nation through the illegal sale of Lot 450 in 1878.
Hegus John Hackett says this reacquisition is important to the whole community.
“A lot of our elders never thought they would see tiskwat return back to the Tla’amin community,” said Hackett.
“This is a once in a 100-year opportunity to bring tiskwat back to Tla’amin. It almost feels like a lost family member returning home.”
The nation says they initialed an Asset Purchase Agreement with Domtar, who will return the lands to them. They say they’ll be responsible for carrying maintenance costs, taxes, and insurance. The agreement is subject to approval by Tla’amin Executive Council within 60 days.
Director of Indigenous Relations for Domtar Lana Wilhelm says their team is committed to working with the nation to do the right thing.
“We continue to work on solutions for the entirety of the site,” said Wilhelm.
They hope this reacquisition can serve as a cornerstone for the nation’s economic prosperity.
