THUNDER BAY — The City of Thunder Bay received no bids for the former paper mill property at 550 Shipyard Rd. during a tax sale on Tuesday.
The city was seeking at least $2.351 million, the amount owed in unpaid property taxes. The waterfront brownfield site, where a paper mill operated for nearly 100 years before being demolished, attracted no offers.
The property is owned by Superior Fine Papers’ former owner, Alan Cheeseman, who bought it in 2019 with plans to redevelop the land and attract new businesses. Earlier this month, Cheeseman said he was frustrated by a lack of progress in reaching an agreement with the city but remained interested in working together on the site’s future.
With no successful bid, city staff will now recommend next steps to council. Options include writing off some or all of the tax debt, taking ownership of the property, or selling it on the open market.
