In 2016, we briefly explored the MacMillan Bloedel Limited Fonds and its predecessor, the Powell River Company, which you can read here.
A quick recap: MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. began in 1909 as the Powell River Paper Company Ltd. Over the years, it became one of the largest forest products companies in the world, producing newsprint, paper, lumber, panelboard, and containers. This collection offers a fascinating glimpse into the lumber industry from its earliest days.
Dispossession of Indigenous land
The story of the Powell River Company reflects a complex legacy, combining industrial innovation with the land dispossession of the Tla’amin people. The company’s growth was built on lands taken from Indigenous communities, leaving a lasting legacy deeply intertwined with British Columbia’s history of settlement, resource exploitation, and Indigenous displacement.
After the 1873 sale of Lot 450 and delayed government surveys, the Tla’amin were forced to relocate to the Sliammon Creek Village. Despite repeated protests to cease selling or leasing land from the Tla’amin First Nations and support from Indian Reserve Commissioner Gilbert Malcolm Sproat, the government largely ignored their concerns and allowed settlers and loggers to encroach on their lands due to the region’s valuable timber and mineral resources. When the new Commissioner Peter O’Reilly finally surveyed the land in 1888, the Tla’amin received only six small reserves and subsequent requests for surveys were denied, which left all Tla’amin lands outside the 6 reserves legally open to resources extraction. For further details, see the qathet Museum & Archives website.
“State-of-the-art” newsprint mill
Below are photographs illustrating the development of what was called a “state-of-the-art” newsprint mill in the early 20th century. They show evidences of workers on site, the wharf and dam construction, the paper processing, and machinery and supplies, all of which highlight the company’s rapid growth in a short period of time.
Making wood into chips, [not before 1900].
Photograph depicts an interior view of the Powell River Company Limited mill. The area shown seems to be that where wood is cut into chips; the chips, in turn, will be made into pulp.
Wharf worker, [not before 1900]
Photograph depicts one man working on the loading wharf or dock of the Powell River Company Limited mill. The man is directing, with a steel pole, a log from the water on a conveyor belt which brings the log up onto the docks for further processing.
Rolls of newsprint on the wharf, [not before 1900]
Photograph depicts three large rolls of newsprint supported by dollies on the wharf or dock of the Powell River Company Limited mill.
Dam, [not before 1900]
Photographdepicts the dam located near the Powell River Company Limited pulp and paper mill.
Paper processing machinery, [not before 1900]
Photograph is of a roller machine, made by Dominion in 1930, in the Powell River Company Limited pulp and paper mill.
Later development
The Powell River Company operated from 1909 to 1959, when it merged with MacMillan Bloedel in December 1959 to become MacMillan Bloedel & Powell River Ltd. The business continued to thrive. Visit the MemoryBC website for a brief timeline of the company’s later development.
In our next blog post, we’ll explore the Powell River Historic Townsite and what life was like working for the company.
For more early photographs of the company, explore UBC’s MacMillan Bloedel Ltd. Collection, which includes over 2,000 photographs documenting the early history of Canadian forestry. Explore more in the UBC Open Collection.
Reference:
Hamar Foster, “SPROAT, GILBERT MALCOLM,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed October 3, 2025, https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/sproat_gilbert_malcolm_14E.html.
“Powell River Company.” Qathet Museum & Archives, accessed October 3, 2025, https://qathetmuseum.ca/powell-river-company/
“Tiskʷat/ Townsite.” Qathet Museum & Archives, accessed October 3, 2025, https://qathetmuseum.ca/tisk%ca%b7at-townsite/
