Powell River Chamber of Commerce president Dave Formosa has indicated it is sad and regretful that the Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat mill has been permanently curtailed.
“We were expecting this,” said Formosa. “This is not a shock. This has been expected since they curtailed on day one of the last curtailment.
“We knew it was coming. It was just a matter of time.”
Formosa said the concern of the local business community and for the residents of the community is how this is going to affect City of Powell River, tax-wise.
“This site has to be preserved to keep the tax base as close to what we are used to as possible,” said Formosa. “We look forward to seeing a capable group purchase the site and get on with the next phase of industrial development within that site, that works within the parameters of today.
“We don’t want anything that is a big polluter. We want something that provides a good tax base and jobs. I’m confident, with time, we’ll see some opportunities coming forward regarding the redevelopment of that site.”
Formosa said the taxation will be dependent on which group goes into the former Catalyst Paper Tis’kwat mill site.
“The fact that the mill is permanently curtailed, the tax base will go down – we know that,” said Formosa. “It is going to be an issue for city council to wrap their heads around how they are going to deal with this. Once that value drops you can’t keep taxing it at the old values, or even the revitalized values.
“That will be a situation for council to struggle with. The property will be reassessed by BC Assessment and they are going to determine the tax value. That’s why we need to get a competent group in there with a development plan that will see the tax base come back and the job opportunities for well-paying positions for people in this community. It’s a great asset and there’s not a lot of assets like that left on the coast, if any.”
Formosa said a sale provides a new opportunity for a new beginning.
“I’m hopeful that if the right team ends up with it, whoever that might be, it will create a good opportunity for our community.”
Formosa said when he was mayor of Powell River, he worked with a team and a group interested in the mill property, and that team is still interested.
“I think they are chatting with the city, with Tla’amin Nation and qathet Regional District,” said Formosa. “Let’s hope that somehow, soon, we can get on with the great business of developing the tax base and jobs for our community.”
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