NorSask and Meadow Lake Tribal Council receive $3 million in funding from federal government

Meadow Lake Tribal Council Industrial Investments received $3 million in funding from the federal government Wednesday morning.

The funding is for the NorSask Forest Products facility, to focus on creating jobs, driving economic growth, enhance efficiencies and reduce energy consumption.

This will come directly from the Indigenous Forestry Initiative program, which received $12.8 million in the last federal budget over the next three years.

Meadow Lake Tribal Council Chief Richard Ben said they’re planning to create “about 1000” jobs, once they get their bio-mass facility up and running, and this funding will help from their end.

“It’s going to contribute to a lot of positive outcomes to our communities. Jobs, and also dividends going back to our communities that will help us fund areas that are not funded.”

Ben said the green energy side is not only about a focus on the sector, but also plays a big part in culture for their company.

“We want to be a big part of the whole green energy sector,” he said. “Being First Nations, we’re considered protectors of the land. We want to protect the land and do whatever we can to help mother earth, and do our part.”

Meadow Lake Tribal Council acquired a 100 per cent stake in NorSask in 1998, and is the largest, wholly First Nations-owned sawmill in Canada.