A major pulp mill in British Columbia has been fined after racking up nearly two dozen air pollution violations in less than two years. 

What's happening?

Domtar's mill in Skookumchuck, formerly owned by Paper Excellence, went over legal air quality limits 23 times between 2021 and 2022. 

Government inspectors said the mill failed to control pollution output coming from its wood-waste boiler, releasing too much smoke and dust into the surrounding area. 

Despite these repeat violations, the company received a relatively small fine.

According to Business in Vancouver, British Columbia's Ministry of Environment fined Domtar $17,200 for exceeding the allowed smoke opacity threshold on multiple occasions. 

Inspectors originally recommended a fine of $39,000, but the penalty was lowered after Domtar argued the pollution output posed "low to none" health risks and that it had taken steps to improve its pollution controls. 

Still, the mill broke the rules 23 separate times in less than two years, and environmental advocates say that raises serious concerns.

"This is a reminder that a corporation's actions speak louder than words," said Charles Latimer, the head of strategic innovation at Greenpeace Canada, per Business in Vancouver.

This isn't the first time Paper Excellence-linked mills have made headlines. In early 2024, the Crofton mill, another facility under the same ownership, was fined $25,500 after it dumped over one million liters of toxic wastewater into the Salish Sea, per the Times Colonist. 

In Nova Scotia, a federal court fined the company $225,000 in 2016 after it released 47 million liters of untreated waste into the ocean near Pictou Harbour.

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Why are repeated pollution violations concerning?

While the company claimed the health risk was low, pollution from mills like this can have lasting effects on nearby communities. 

When boilers like these exceed opacity levels — a measure of how much smoke is in the air — it often means more fine particles are being released, which can worsen breathing problems and affect the environment over time. 

Facilities like the one in Skookumchuck produce hundreds of thousands of tons of pulp each year, which makes consistent pollution control essential. 

Repeated violations demonstrate that some companies continue to fall short of their environmental promises.

What's being done about the violations?

Domtar has 30 days to appeal the fine, but regulators say the decision is final unless overturned. 

There have long been concerns that British Columbia's pollution penalties are too weak to actually change corporate behavior. 

Greenpeace Canada has also called out Paper Excellence in the past, saying the company's green marketing doesn't match its actions, a type of behavior often referred to as greenwashing. 

Stronger enforcement, tougher fines, and better public transparency are all needed if communities are going to be protected from industrial pollution in the long run.

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