Liens have been placed on San Group’s Port Alberni sawmill lands as security for nearly $22 million owed to the province in stumpage payments. It is the company’s intention to pay off the money owing as soon as possible, hopefully by early 2025, Kevin Somerville, San Group vice president of operations, said from Port Alberni on Thursday. “This is tax owed by the company for the harvesting that we did. We appreciate the support and patience they [the province] have had with us. We will work our best to get it paid off as quickly as we can.” Details of the payment plan with the province are confidential, he said. Money owed is for stumpage payments related to timber sale licences on Vancouver Island and the central coast, Somerville said.