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A $350-million canola processing facility is to be built at Regina by Cargill, which will also update the one it currently operates near Saskatoon.
Plans for the project were announced Thursday by the provincial government as well as the company.
“We see Saskatchewan as the right place to make this investment, as Regina is well-positioned in the canola production area and there is ample talent available to support the new facility,” Cargill Canada president Jeff Vassart said.
The exact location of the Regina site is unknown, but calls are in to Cargill requesting more information.
Cargill also operates a canola processing facility at Clavet, about 35 kilometres southeast of Saskatoon. That facility will be modernized to increase volume and broaden its capabilities.
The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased, given that Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan has a goal of seeing 75 per cent of the canola Saskatchewan produces crushed in the province.
Other goals in the plan that the government says this supports include growing the province’s agri-food exports to $20 billion, increasing agriculture value-added revenue to $10 billion, increasing the value of exports by 50 per cent and growing private capital investment in Saskatchewan to $16 billion annually.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is excited for the project to be coming to the Queen City.
“Saskatchewan is a leader in agriculture production and through investments such as this, we are growing our capacity to process these products at home,” Moe said.
“We welcome this significant investment and look forward to working with Cargill to add value to the canola our producers grow, create local jobs and support Saskatchewan’s economic growth.”
The new state-of-the-art facility is projected to have an annual production capacity of 1 million metric tonnes.
Cargill expects the Regina facility to employee about 50 people full-time. Construction begins next year, with the plant to be operational by 2024. Approximately 1 million hours of employment will be generated throughout the construction phase.
