Key Takeaways
- Domtar, the largest pulp and paper company in Canada, received over $200M in public funding between 2020 and 2024 from federal and provincial governments.
- The company’s lobbying efforts have expanded corporate control on the forestry industry with limited transparency and accountability.
- Domtar’s operations cover 22 million hectares of forest across Canada, or almost 10% of all managed forest land.
- The company’s ownership structure is complex, including links to Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) and the Sinar Mas Group, which have a documented track record of environmental and human rights violations.
- Greenpeace Canada is calling for public accountability measures, including cooperation from Domtar’s sole owner, Jackson Wijaya, and the enshrinement of United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity commitments in national legislation.
Introduction to Domtar’s Lobbying Strategies
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. A two-part investigative report released by Greenpeace Canada reveals that Domtar received over $200M in public funding between 2020 and 2024 from both federal and provincial governments. The report explores the company’s lobbying strategies at both the federal and provincial levels, with a particular focus on British Columbia, where Domtar was formerly headquartered.
Research Methodology and Findings
The research methodology included an analysis 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 compiled a list of known Domtar subsidiaries and 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. The report provides a detailed breakdown of the public funds received by Domtar and raises serious questions and concerns about whether they have meaningfully advanced the company’s stated goals of expansion, innovation, and sustainability.
Domtar’s Operations and Impact
Domtar’s operations cover 22 million hectares of forest across Canada, or almost 10% of all managed forest land. The company has 16 major pulp and paper mills across Canada, but only 11 remain active, including major sites in Windsor (QC), Saint-Félicien (QC), Port Alberni (B.C.), and Meadow Lake (SK). In December 2025, Domtar announced 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, but 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.
Concerns and Recommendations
The report highlights persistent gaps in transparency and accountability, as well as Domtar’s opaque corporate governance structure. Greenpeace Canada is calling for public accountability measures, including cooperation from Domtar’s sole owner, Jackson Wijaya, who also took full control of Asia Pulp & Paper in 2024. The organization is also calling for the enshrinement of United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity commitments in national legislation, which would strengthen nature protection, support local job creation, and uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to their lands and waters.
Conclusion and Next Steps
The findings from Greenpeace Canada’s latest two-part investigative report on Domtar, ‘Paper Trail to Nowhere’, reveal a complex web of lobbying efforts and public funding with limited transparency and accountability. The report raises serious questions and concerns about the impact of Domtar’s operations on Canada’s forests and the forestry industry. As the company continues to expand its control on the industry, it is essential to ensure that public funds are being used effectively and that the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities are being upheld. Greenpeace Canada’s report provides a critical examination of Domtar’s lobbying strategies and operations, and its recommendations for public accountability measures and legislative changes are essential for protecting Canada’s forests and promoting a more sustainable and equitable forestry industry.
