The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert has announced a major step toward development of a biofuels industry in Saskatchewan, with the announcement by Husky Energy that they intend to proceed with construction of a 130 million litre ethanol facility in Lloydminster. The news about the facility for Lloydminster was issued in Regina by John Lau, President and Chief Executive Officer of Husky Energy, and Premier Calvert. The Lloydminster plant is projected to cost between $90-$95 million, and is expected to be operational by the end of 2005. "Our primary goal with the 2002 Greenprint plan was the establishment of a growing biofuels industry for Saskatchewan," Calvert said. "Today's announcement takes us a giant step closer to our goal. It means jobs. It means clean fuel and clean livestock feed. It means value-added agriculture along with increased stability and growth in rural Saskatchewan. I am extremely pleased to see this expansion of Husky's operation in our province." It is expected the facility will be constructed next to Husky's Heavy Oil Upgrader in Lloydminster. Husky is already marketing ethanol-blended fuel through its Mohawk and Husky service stations in Canada, and the Lloydminster facility will help to meet that demand. Calvert said the expansion in biofuels is also consistent with the Government's goal of a green and sustainable economy. "We've created a climate for economic growth in Saskatchewan, and we'll continue to build on our strengths. One of the objectives of Greenprint was to do so in an environmentally responsible way. This project clearly fits the bill." Saskatchewan has the lowest-cost feedstocks in Canada for ethanol production, giving the province a competitive advantage in the industry. Saskatchewan was also the first province in Canada to make a legislative commitment to ethanol use.
