Domtar is working to build circular economies at each of our mills. That includes partnerships with maple syrup producers and events that share a love of maple syrup -- a Canadian staple -- with local residents.

Windsor Mill Maple Trees Enable Local Syrup Production

Our Windsor Mill in Windsor, Quebec, has gone to great lengths to close its sustainability loop and nurture the forests that support its operations and the people that live and work in the surrounding area. That includes a partnership with local maple syrup producers.

The Windsor Mill is one of Canada's last fully integrated pulp and paper mills, and it owns 400,000 acres of forestland to support its operations. The mill manages its forests for multiple uses, selectively harvesting trees about once every 20 years. The mill has developed partnerships for the forests to benefit the larger community during the two decades of growing time. One of these partnerships was formed in 2016 to allow local maple syrup producers to harvest sap from the large stands of sugar maples that dominate the land.

Since starting its partnership with local syrup makers, more than 260,000 taps have yielded enough tree sap for 47 maple syrup producers to create thousands of gallons of their signature product.

"The Windsor Mill and our forestlands are an important part of the surrounding community," says General Manager Marc Barrette. "The essence of sustainability is to create and preserve long-term value, and this partnership is doing just that. It's a small but meaningful way to use our land to benefit those around us, and we are proud to be able to make that contribution to the circular economy."

Érablière A & S Inc., owned by Annie Gernier and third-generation maple syrup producer Simon Bellegarde, makes FSC®- and SFI®-certified organic maple syrup exclusively from taps on sugar maples that it rents on Domtar's land. Bellegarde first started setting up his equipment, including taps and a sugar shack, in 2017, and he produced his first syrup in 2018. At the time, he said that being able to rent a stand of maple trees, known as a sugar bush, on Domtar's forestlands made it possible to realize his dream of starting a maple syrup business.

Today, Érablière A & S Inc. produces an average of 9,000 gallons of maple syrup each year during harvesting season. "The spring of 2024 was particularly productive," Bellegarde says. "We harvested 10,589 gallons of maple syrup--123,164 pounds--from 25,000 taps. This year, we're already at 7,700 gallons as of April 17, thanks to the addition of 7,500 taps."

For Érablière A & S Inc., and other maple syrup producers on Windsor Mill's sugar bush, sustainable forestry makes a difference. "Domtar's sustainable forestry practices are very well planned. They were put in place before the [maple sap] tubing was installed, with great respect for forest management," says Bellegarde. "Good communication between Domtar and our team enables efficient planning of all work in the sugar bush."

Normandin Mill Hosts Maple Taffy Event for the Community

In Quebec, sugar maple trees represent more than just maple syrup. They help build communities.

In early March, just as the maple sap harvesting season got underway, our Normandin Planer Mill in Normandin, Quebec, hosted its second annual maple taffy celebration. The event, held at the nearby Grands Jardins de Normandin, was open to the community as well as to employees of Normandin Mill and neighboring Domtar facilities.

Around 900 people attended the March 8 event, which included games, a large wooden ice slide, a fire pit, snow scooters and hot drinks. Volunteers from Grand Jardins de Normandin also prepared the ice skating rink, cleared the trails for use and made sure the tent and other facilities were ready to host the event.

The highlight of the day was maple taffy, which volunteers made from seven gallons of maple syrup produced by one of the maple syrup producers operating in nearby Albanel. "Our maple syrup partner gave a little training to five of us from Normandin Mill in order to properly prepare maple taffy. This partner also provided us with all the necessary equipment, including a snow table, a rack and wooden sticks," says Chantale Boisvert, human resources supervisor at Normandin Mill and one of the event's organizers.

She continues, "For us, it's an opportunity to offer a gathering for our employees as well as for the community of Normandin and the surrounding area, who can benefit from a free family activity. Offering children maple taffy and outdoor winter activities puts a smile on their face and gives them joy. They are our successors, and this allows us to give them a good impression of our company for the future. It also gives us visibility and the opportunity to talk to local people to share our job opportunities. Shining in our community helps us to attract and retain local talent."