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The Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina celebrated its 90th anniversary on Thursday.
Hundreds gathered at the complex’s Gate 7 for the celebration.
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“This day is filled with pride, tons of pride,” said Heather Ryan, CEO of Federated Co-operatives Limited.
“We talk about fueling western Canada, and it’s more than just the fuel – it’s also what it means to communities, what it means to local co-ops. It’s just there’s so much pride in the room today, and it’s really about the people and coming together.”
The Co-op Refinery Complex in Regina was first established in 1935. (Daniel Reech/980 CJME)
Ryan said more than 1,000 people work at the refinery in Regina, but hundreds more also work in support roles in places like Saskatoon.
The refinery produces 130,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Ryan said the refinery is large and very complex. Its oil is sourced from western Canada and comes through Fort McMurray, Alta.
“We’re always looking for our evolution to serve our local Co-op owners and what they need,” Ryan said.
“We’re looking at things like co-processing (and) carbon capture to make sure that we can continue to provide what we need to provide in the most sustainable way possible.”
Mayor Chad Bachynski called the refinery a staple of the Queen City.
“It’s not only an economic driver, but it’s a social driver,” Bachynski said.
“It creates hundreds and hundreds of jobs in the community, and it’s so significant in the contributions that are made into our city as a whole.”
Premier Scott Moe called the refinery a cornerstone of Saskatchewan’s economy.
“It is a cornerstone, not only in really being a value-added aspect of our oil-producing economy here in Saskatchewan, but actually providing the fuel for all the other industries to grow and prosper,” Moe said.
Two workers received minor injuries in a fire at the refinery in March. Some people who lived nearby said they heard an explosion.
Ryan said the refinery undergoes preventative maintenance after major incidents to help ensure they don’t happen again.
“We do run a refinery, and there’s a lot of equipment under high pressure, but safety is our first and foremost, and we want everyone to go home safe at night,” Ryan said.
“We take tons of precautions to ensure we’re very safe in our operations. When we do have incidents, we have instant command that comes together immediately. There are lessons learned from that implementation, so we want to ensure that we’re operating as safely as possible.”
