{"id":73567,"date":"2026-01-12T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/?p=73567"},"modified":"2026-01-12T08:30:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T13:30:55","slug":"greenpeace-canada-investigation-reveals-domtars-lobbying-resulted-in-over-200m-of-canadian-public-funds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/canada\/en\/press-release\/73567\/greenpeace-canada-investigation-reveals-domtars-lobbying-resulted-in-over-200m-of-canadian-public-funds\/","title":{"rendered":"Greenpeace Canada investigation reveals Domtar\u2019s lobbying resulted in over $200M of Canadian public funds"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

TORONTO \u2013 <\/strong>A two-part investigative report released today by Greenpeace Canada reveals that Domtar, the largest pulp and paper company to ever operate in Canada, has been receiving significant amounts of public funds from the government while expanding corporate control on the forestry industry with limited transparency and accountability. Domtar\u2019s operations cover 22 million hectares of forest across Canada, or almost 10% of all managed forest land across the country.<\/p>\n\n

The company, formerly known as Paper Excellence, was previously investigated in a 2022 report<\/a> by Greenpeace Canada and partner organizations, which exposed its complex ownership structure, including links to Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) and the larger Sinar Mas Group \u2014 companies with a documented track record of environmental and human rights violations. <\/p>\n\n

The two-part report finds that, following expanded lobbying efforts, Domtar received more than $200M in public funding between 2020 and 2024 from both federal and provincial governments. The report breaks down these public funds and raises serious concerns about a lack of transparency, weak accountability and Domtar\u2019s opaque corporate governance structure.

Sien Van den broeke, Nature & Biodiversity Campaigner at Greenpeace Canada, said: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u201cMore than $200 million in public funds flowed to Domtar between 2020 and 2024, yet its sole owner, Jackson Wijaya, has still not appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Natural Resources \u2014 even after being formally requested to do so. Canadians are being left in the dark about who truly controls the country\u2019s largest forestry company and what that control means for the future of our forests and forest-dependent communities. We deserve transparency and accountability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

The analysis included a review of publicly available federal and provincial corporate lobbying registrations, documents and other official filings in Canada between 2020 and 2024. To identify communications, targets and registrations disclosed by Domtar lobbyists, Greenpeace Canada first compiled a list of known Domtar subsidiaries (Domtar, Resolute Forest Products, Catalyst, Northern Pulp and Paper Excellence) as well as independent mills under its control. These communications were then manually cross-referenced with a list of all organization names found disclosed in the lobbyist registrations. <\/p>\n\n

To calculate the total amount of public funding received, Greenpeace Canada created datasets from disclosed amounts in federal and provincial lobbying registration information, accounted for reporting discrepancies and estimated minimum and maximum funding amounts that may have been received by the company.<\/p>\n\n

Of Domtar\u2019s 16 major pulp and paper mills across Canada, currently only 11 (or approximately two-thirds) remain active, including major sites in Windsor (QC), Saint-F\u00e9licien (QC), Port Alberni (B.C.) and Meadow Lake (SK). In December 2025, Domtar announced<\/a> that its Crofton mill in B.C. would be closing in early 2026, affecting 350 employees. The company has cited numerous factors, from energy costs to supply chain pressures. However, the scale of mill closures raises questions as to whether investments in their work are delivering viable returns and benefits for Canadian taxpayers and the future of forests in Canada.

Sheila Sampath, Co-head of Program (Nature and Biodiversity) at Greenpeace Canada, said:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\u201cProtecting nature means protecting the relationships between forests, people, and future generations. If companies benefiting from public funds are allowed to operate behind opaque corporate structures, trust erodes and biodiversity pays the price. Accountability and transparency are essential to safeguarding Canada\u2019s forest ecosystems.\u201d<\/p>\n\n

Ends<\/p>\n\n

Note to editors:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

The executive summary is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

An interactive summary of the reports is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

The full two-part investigative report, Paper Trail to Nowhere<\/em>, by Greenpeace Canada, is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

For more information, please contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

Sarah Micho, Communications Campaigner, Greenpeace Canada sarah.micho@greenpeace.org, +1 647 428 0603<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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