JASON SETNYK
Twenty years after the closure of Cornwall’s Domtar paper mill, former employees gathered to remember the workplace that shaped generations of families and helped define the city’s industrial identity.
The reunion and spaghetti dinner fundraiser at the A.N.A.F. Club brought together former workers, their families, and friends. Organized by a committee, including longtime employee Micheline Fobert-Irving, the event marked the exact calendar date of the mill’s shutdown in 2006.
“We’re going to have over 200 former employees come with their families,” said Fobert-Irving. “As you can see, most of us remain friends.”
For many in attendance, the mill was far more than a workplace. For over a century, the facility, known for decades as Howard Smith before later becoming Domtar, was one of Cornwall’s largest employers and a cornerstone of the local economy.
Papermaking at the site dates back to 1881, when the first mill opened along the St. Lawrence River. At its peak, the operation employed about 1,500 workers, providing stable unionized jobs that supported middle-class families throughout the region. It was common for multiple generations of the same family to work there.
Fobert-Irving herself represents that tradition. She began working at the mill in 1989 and remained there until it closed. Her father had spent decades working at the facility as well.
“My father worked there for 45 years,” she said. “He started when it was Howard Smith and retired from Domtar.”
During her career, Fobert-Irving worked in several areas of the plant, including the No. 9 coater, where paper was coated for glossy products such as magazines.
Beyond the industrial operations, the mill also played a significant role in the community’s social life. Employees participated in sports teams, charity drives, and labour events, while the workforce remained closely connected through union networks and shared traditions.
“We were one big family, and we remained a big family even after the mill closed,” Fobert-Irving said. “We often have these little reminiscing moments where we meet up and talk about the old days.”
The mill’s culture extended into the broader community through fundraising efforts and volunteer work. Workers regularly supported causes such as the United Way, and company teams competed in local hockey and baseball leagues. Even decades later, former employees continue that tradition of giving back.
Proceeds from the reunion dinner were donated to the Agapè Centre, a local organization providing food and support services to residents in need.
“All the profits are going to support the Agapè Centre,” Fobert-Irving said. “Luckily enough, many of us still have food to eat, but not everybody does. With the way the economy is going, more and more people will need their help.”
The closure of the mill in March 2006 followed years of production cuts as the global pulp and paper industry faced declining demand and rising costs. Domtar cited financial pressures, including higher energy prices and competition from more modern mills, when it announced the shutdown. Approximately 520 workers were still employed at the facility when it closed, while earlier reductions had already eliminated hundreds of positions.
In total, roughly 900 jobs were lost over the final years of the operation, marking the end of more than 120 years of papermaking in Cornwall.
For many workers, the announcement came as a shock.
“My first thought was like I was getting a divorce,” Fobert-Irving said. “We spent 12-hour shifts together. Sometimes I was with my coworkers more than my own family.”
The impact was felt across the community. Many employees were nearing retirement age and had spent most of their careers at the mill, making the transition to new work difficult.
“A lot of people who worked there only worked at Domtar,” she said. “When the mill closed, many were in their late 50s and knew nothing but mill work. It was hard for many.”
Despite the closure, the bonds formed inside the mill have endured. Former employees continue to stay connected through reunions and informal gatherings, keeping alive the friendships built over decades of shared shifts and long nights on the production floor.
For Fobert-Irving, those friendships remain the most meaningful part of her time at the mill.
“Meeting so many people and making so many friends,” she said. “That’s what I remember most.”
L’article Former Domtar employees reunite 20 years after closure est apparu en premier sur Cornwall Seaway News.
