MACKLIN AREA SBLA RECOGNIZED FOR 39 JOBS CREATED

Released on April 23, 1999

Battlefords-Cut Knife MLA Sharon Murrell, on behalf of Economic and

Co-operative Development Minister Janice MacKinnon, today recognized

the Eye Hill Rural Development Corporation in Macklin for its job

creation record through the Small Business Loans Association (SBLA)

program.



The corporation has created 37 full-time jobs, two part-time jobs, and

maintained an additional eight jobs. During 1998, small businesses

supported by the SBLA program created more than 360 jobs and

maintained over 565 more, mostly in rural communities. This brought

the total number of jobs created and maintained since the program

began to almost 12,800.



Murrell presented a job creation certificate, on behalf of MacKinnon,

to Norbert Leibel, the corporation's chairperson.



"I am very pleased to honour the Eye Hill Rural Development

Corporation this way," said Murrell. "SBLAs are an integral part of

the province's focus on investing at the community level, working

with people to create jobs and opportunities in their own area."



Examples of local businesses assisted by SBLA loans include

restaurants, home improvement operations and retail businesses.



Under the SBLA program, the government provides funding to local

SBLA organizations. In turn, SBLAs provide loans to businesses

that have experienced difficulty accessing financing through

traditional means.



Improvements to the program announced in the new provincial

budget include an increase in each SBLA's interest-free revolving

line of credit from $50,000 to $100,000. As well, an SBLA can

now make loans to a maximum of $10,000, up from $5,000.



"The job creation efforts of the Eye Hill Rural Development

Corporation are a great example of what can be accomplished when

the government and communities work in partnership," Murrell

said. "By working in partnership, the SBLAs are helping rural

businesses grow -- building our economy, creating jobs, and

keeping our province healthy and strong."



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For more information, contact:



Bob Ellis

Economic and Co-operative Development

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-1691