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Southeastern Saskatchewan is set to join in on the canola crushing business.
Ceres Global Ag has announced it plans to build a $350-million canola crushing plant southeast of Estevan, with construction beginning next year.
Estevan Chamber of Commerce executive director Jackie Wall said the announcement means a lot for the area. She said with COVID-19 and fluctuating oil prices, it’s nice to have the canola industry to fall back on.
“The ag community is important throughout our province but it’s especially important in our area and it has been one of the most stable industries in the last few years,” Wall said.
“Ag has been that stable industry that keeps us trucking along and it means a lot that we will have some more competition and increased prices perhaps for producers, a more stable market for canola producers and it gives options for producers to have a shorter haul to sell their product.”
Wall said she hasn’t had a chance to take a look at the economic development indicators for the project, but with any large expansion, there is bound to be an impact.
“You’ve got the construction, you’ve got the trades coming in, you have the engineers, the whole build is a huge, huge process and then you have the actual facility running and what that means to local producers (and) local truckers. Any job in that area has a direct impact on Estevan,” Wall said.
Weyburn Chamber of Commerce executive director Larry Heggs said the project speaks highly of the work the province has done when it comes to getting these type of businesses in Saskatchewan.
“These are great sustainable positions with world-leading companies. To have the ability to have them right here in Saskatchewan in the heart of it, it not only makes sense but it’s great for the economy,” Heggs said.
Wall said southeast Saskatchewan has a reliable source of supply, product and workforce for the agriculture industry.
“There’s a lot of trades in this area. There’s a huge farming sector so it’s really nice to see the southeast is really starting to open up,” Wall said. “We are seeing a lot of interest coming to our area because of the resources we have here.”
The Ceres Global Ag project follows others by Cargill and Viterra, both of which are building canola crushing plants in the Regina area. As well, Richardson is expanding its canola crush facility in Yorkton.