GATEWAY REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY FORMED

Released on March 25, 1996

Economic Development Minister Dwain Lingenfelter and Gateway Regional
Economic Development Authority (REDA) Chairperson Harry Kessler today
jointly announced formation of the province's 15th regional economic
development authority in Moosomin.

Founding members of this REDA include the RMs of Moosomin, Martin,
Rocanville, and Spyhill; the towns of Moosomin, Wapella and Rocanville;
the villages of Spyhill, Tantallon, Gerald and Welwyn; and the Moosomin
Chamber of Commerce.

REDA partners (associate members) include the Gateway Rural Development
Committee (RDC), the Southeast Regional College, the Rocanville
Economic Development Organization, the Gateway Community Bond
Corporation and Gateway RDC Loans Corporation, the RM of Moosomin Loans
Corporation, and the town of Fleming.

"REDAs are a key component of Saskatchewan's continued economic
growth," Lingenfelter said. "They reflect the Saskatchewan spirit of
co-operation and partnership that is at the heart of the Partnership
for Growth strategy launched by this government last month.

"REDAs are built around this spirit and are a priority. One of the
objectives in the Partnership for Growth strategy is to make Regional
Economic Development Authorities the focal point for economic
development in their regions."

To accomplish that objective, the government has made three specific
commitments in Partnership for Growth:

during the period from now to the end of the century, Saskatchewan
Economic Development will provide cost-shared financial assistance
to help REDAs operate;

to provide REDAs with a package of professional business
development services and technical expertise;

and by April 1997, the department will examine business support
programs and, where appropriate, redesign them so they can be
delivered by REDAs.

The REDA initiative is based on local co-operation and regional
co-ordination, and is supported by the Federal-Provincial Partnership
Agreement on Rural Development (PARD) Program.

REDAs provide a regional structure made up of municipal governments,
businesses, co-operatives and other community economic development
organizations to co-ordinate and pool their organizations, professional
and financial resources to encourage new jobs and new investment.

To date the existing 14 regional economic development authorities have
assisted in establishing approximately 76 businesses and creating 320
jobs. Other REDAs have been established in the regions surrounding
Hudson Bay, Prince Albert, Rosetown, Swift Current, Meadow Lake,
Watrous, Saskatoon, Kindersley, Humboldt, Ituna, Yorkton, Melfort,
Biggar and Weyburn.
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For more information, contact:
Terry Crowe Harry Kessler
Economic Development Gateway REDA
Regina Phone: (306) 787-2753 Moosomin Phone: (306) 435-3177