Released on July 12, 2006
Saskatchewan is encouraged by Prince Edward Island's support for a more aggressive renewable fuel strategy in Canada, and will host a delegation from P.E.I. July 12th and 13th to showcase the province's developing renewable fuels industry.Deputy Premier and Regional Economic and Co-operative Development Minister Clay Serby will welcome P.E.I. Environment, Energy and Forestry Minister Jamie Ballem and P.E.I. Member of the Legislative Assembly Andy Mooney. The delegation will tour three of the province's ethanol and biodiesel production facilities - NorAmera BioEnergy Corporation in Weyburn, Milligan Bio-Tech in Foam Lake, and Pound-Maker in Lanigan - to learn more about the technologies involved in production and the importance of producer and community ownership of the renewable fuels industry in Canada.
"Like Saskatchewan, P.E.I. is keenly interested in the opportunities renewable fuel presents for adding value to agricultural commodities," Serby said. "We are pleased to share our experience in developing the industry with our provincial counterparts."
"In addition to the environmental benefits, a renewable fuels standard will provide new opportunities for farmers to grow energy crops such as canola. However, agricultural producers must have an ownership stake in the industry if it is to provide real long-term benefits to growers," Ballem said. "As the first province in Canada to mandate the use of ethanol, Saskatchewan has been a leader in ethanol production. We want to learn from their experience in developing the industry."
The P.E.I. delegation's tour follows the May federal-provincial meeting of ministers responsible for biofuels, where ministers discussed the federal government's proposal of a national five per cent renewable fuel content in transport fuel by 2010.
"We believe that Canada's renewable fuel strategy will be built in collaboration with governments and industry, and will ensure Canadian farmers have an opportunity to be involved in the value chain supplying the renewable fuel industry," Serby said.
Saskatchewan and other provinces will continue to press for a more aggressive mandate. Saskatchewan would like to see a five per cent ethanol mandate by 2008, increasing to between seven and 10 per cent by 2010 and the introduction of a two per cent biodiesel mandate by 2010, increasing to five per cent by 2015.
"It is also Saskatchewan's position that it is critical for the national standard to include provisions that promote producer and community ownership in the industry, as well as the utilization of Western Canadian feedstocks to the greatest extent possible," Serby said. Saskatchewan also wants over 50 per cent of renewable fuel feedstock to come from Western Canada, and provincial production facilities to be based on land and biomass availability, due to the fact that Saskatchewan contains 41 per cent of Canada's arable land.
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For More Information, Contact:
| Trish Alcorn Regional Economic and Co-operative Development Regina Phone: (306) 787-5389 |