On May 6, Fort William First Nation and Resolute officially broke ground on a $17 million project to expand our Thunder Bay (Ontario) sawmill. Plans for the project were announced last August during celebrations marking the sawmill’s success, which stems from a twenty-year collaboration between Resolute and Fort William First Nation. Located on the First Nation’s land, the sawmill employs about 260 people, many of whom are Indigenous, and is the first facility in Canada to operate under the First Nations Commercial and Industrial Act.
Once the project is completed in October, the sawmill will see its capacity increase by up to 40 million board feet, creating more than 30 new positions.
“Our partnership with Resolute has been very successful for our community, for our people working here, and for the spinoffs into the community,” said Chief Peter Collins of Fort William First Nation. “Today is another positive step for our relationship with Resolute that we drafted up some 20-odd years ago, and we continue to grow together.”
“This investment further solidifies the sawmill’s position as a high producing, well managed wood products facility,” said Terry Ouellet, general manager of Resolute’s Ontario sawmills.
We’re proud of our fruitful, longstanding partnership with Fort William First Nation, and the new jobs the sawmill will create in the region.
