Tla’amin Nation continues to make progress toward reacquisition of its former village site at Tis’kwat through private negotiations and partnership development with provincial and federal governments.
A media release from the nation states that in September, Tla’amin sent a letter of intent to Paper Excellence in accordance with the company’s deadline for parties interested in purchasing the 300-acre Catalyst Paper Tis'kwat mill site and all of its industrial assets. The letter of intent was the first step in the process leading to a conditional offer to purchase the now-shuttered mill, the release stated.
Since then, constructive private discussions and good-faith negotiations with Paper Excellence continue to support Tla’amin’s site acquisition objectives, according to the release.
The nation continues to work closely with its treaty partners at the highest levels in federal and provincial governments to pursue policy and partnership discussions that will support reacquisition of the land and clean energy economic development at the site, the release stated.
“Our government has established an experienced team of experts to support the site acquisition and economic development planning for Tis’kwat,” stated Tla’amin hegus John Hackett. “Our people were forcibly removed from this land over 100 years ago. We have never benefited from the dam or mill that was built on our former village.
“Our strategic partnerships and negotiations team has put our nation on a pathway to secure the site and plan for community and regional benefits that will last many generations to come. We are grateful for ongoing partnership development at the provincial and federal governments in support of our reacquisition and economic development objectives.”
The release stated that Tla’amin will continue to provide regular updates to the community as negotiations for site acquisition progress with Paper Excellence.
