Released on September 27, 2005
Premier Lorne Calvert, joined by Mayor Jim Stiglitz, officially opened the Saskatchewan Forest Centre's permanent home in downtown Prince Albert today after a Cabinet meeting in the Centre's new boardroom.Also in attendence for the announcement were Industry and Resources Minister Eric Cline, Environment Minister David Forbes, Prince Albert Northcote MLA Eldon Lautermilch, Prince Albert Carleton MLA Myron Kowalsky and Saskatchewan Rivers MLA Lon Borgerson.
The Saskatchewan Forest Centre's new home will help the province's forest resources and agroforestry sector reach their full potential. It will also position the province as the most competitive jurisdiction in Canada for opportunities in wood product manufacturing. The $12.7 million building with its anchor tenant applies the same partnership model used in Saskatchewan's two successful research parks.
"We are building on a legacy of sustainable forest practices and innovative wood technologies," Calvert said. "This opening represents the beginning of a new era in Saskatchewan's forest history – an era that will see Saskatchewan attract considerable new private sector investment to our diversified forest industry."
Calvert noted that Saskatchewan is already a national leader in forest-related environmental protection, aboriginal involvement, public participation in policy and green economy initiatives. The Saskatchewan Action Plan for the Economy contains actions that build on these achievements and a vision that aims high for increased investment attraction.
"This building marks the cornerstone of Prince Albert's downtown revitalization project," Stiglitz said. "We are proud to support this project and proud of its contribution to our economy."
"The Saskatchewan Forest Centre will make Prince Albert synonymous with Canadian forest and value-added innovation," Saskatchewan Forest Centre CEO Robin Woodward said.
The Saskatchewan Forest Centre is a non-profit company governed by a 13-member Board of Directors, nine of whom are from the private sector and four from government. Its mandate is to accumulate, create and disseminate forest-related knowledge that supports an internationally competitive and environmentally sustainable forest industry in Saskatchewan.
The building, owned and operated by Innovation Place, is currently 60 per cent occupied. Its tenants include: Forest Engineering Research Institute of Canada, Forintek Canada Corp., GeoSpatial Consulting Inc., PA Model Forest, BioForest Technologies Inc., IOGEN Corporation, Forest Training Subcommittee, Saskatchewan Forestry Association, the Forest Service Branch of Saskatchewan Environment, Zatlyn Law Office, and the Saskatchewan Forest Centre.
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For More Information, Contact:
| Bob Ellis Industry and Resources Regina Phone: (306) 787-1691 Cell: (306) 539-6948 |