Transformations

Transformations

From Yesterday’s Mill to Tomorrow’s Forest

Presented at Boréalis, Transformations tells the story of the paper industry in Mauricie and its impact on the region. Through workers’ memories and changing forestry practices, the exhibition shows how production, resources, and communities have evolved—from yesterday’s mill to tomorrow’s forest.

From yesterday’s mill to tomorrow’s forest: explore how a region is reinventing itself.

Journey to the Heart of the Paper Industry Step into an immersive, self-guided experience that takes you through the paper industry’s history in the Mauricie region. In the former filtration plant of the CIP (Canadian International Paper), discover the daily lives of workers from the past century, facing the challenges of factory work and the issues of their time. Continue your exploration by following the evolution of industrial and forestry practices, and the innovations that have transformed production and resource management. From the mill to the forest, the exhibition connects workers’ memories, industrial heritage, and future perspectives. Testimonies, artifacts, immersive sets, and interactive challenges help you understand concretely how the region has reinvented itself and continues to transform. The view of the river, the authenticity of the century-old building, and the multisensory experiences make this journey a unique, moving, and thought-provoking immersion. For its innovative vision and ability to link past and future, the Boréalis Museum received the “Excellence 2” award from the Société des musées du Québec (SMQ) for this permanent exhibition, highlighting the importance of telling industrial history while reflecting on the socio-ecological transition.

Keywords

Paper industry - Socio-ecological transition - Working-class memory - Industrial heritage - Sustainable forestry - Territory