RESTORE AND RECYCLING CENTRE EXPANDS TO NEW LOCATION

Released on March 1, 2008

The recycling and landfill conservation efforts of Saskatoon's Habitat for Humanity's ReStore and Recycling Centre will benefit from a $940,000 investment from the Governments of Canada, Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon to relocate and expand its retail operations. Funding is being provided through the tripartite Saskatoon Urban Development Agreement (UDA).

Saskatoon's Habitat for Humanity's ReStore and Recycling Centre will move from its current location on Avenue L South and 17th Street West to the former Hub City Curling Rink at the corner of Avenue D South and 21st Street West. With new employment opportunities created, the expanded ReStore and Recycling Centre supports the UDA's objective to create a positive business climate and increase the competitiveness of Saskatoon's core neighbourhoods, including Riversdale.

"Municipalities are all looking for innovative ways to deal with problems of waste management and encouraging economic development, and this project helps to do both," Municipal Affairs Minister Bill Hutchinson said. "This is another great example of how federal, provincial and municipal governments can work together, this time with the non-profit sector to improve our environment and our economy."

"The expanded ReStore and Recycling Centre will significantly reduce waste going to the landfill," said Carol Skelton, Member of Parliament for Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar on behalf of Rona Ambrose, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Minister of Western Economic Diversification. "The Government of Canada is pleased to partner with Habitat for Humanity on this project, which provides Saskatoon citizens with more recycling options to conserve the environment."

"We are proud to partner with Habitat for Humanity, as recycling and landfill conservation are very important for a sustainable city," Saskatoon Mayor Donald Atchison. "In addition, the funds from the ReStore help Habitat for Humanity build affordable homes, so their efforts benefit our entire community in many significant ways."

The $940,000 UDA investment will be used to retrofit the former curling rink to current building standards for accessibility and fire protection systems, renovate office spaces, purchase and install shelving, and pave the adjacent parking lot. The new retail facility will have about triple the amount of storage and administration space as the existing space does and is expected to increase sales of recycled building materials. Saskatoon's Habitat for Humanity will contribute $180,000 to the project, which will cost approximately $1.12 million.

In addition to the renovations at the new site, the existing site will be converted to accommodate significantly more recycling opportunities. Habitat for Humanity has formed partnerships with the Saskatoon Landfill and Regional Waste Management Association, the University of Saskatchewan and private industry to significantly reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill. An additional 500 tonnes of waste is projected to be diverted from the Saskatoon landfill this year alone.

"Habitat for Humanity Saskatoon is very grateful to the federal, provincial and municipal, governments for their financial assistance. Their funding will help see major improvements to the new Avenue D ReStore and the development of recycling facilities at the Avenue L location for materials that are not presently recycled in Saskatoon," Habitat's board of directors chairman Tony Finn said. "The recycling activities at these locations will divert an estimated 500 tonnes of materials from the landfill this year and will be a source of long-term funding of our work in building affordable homes for low-income working families in Saskatoon."

The five-year Saskatoon UDA, signed by the Governments of Canada, Saskatchewan and the City of Saskatoon in 2005, will invest $10 million in revitalizing the city's older neighbourhoods, supporting a high standard of public infrastructure and promoting a positive business climate that attracts innovation.

Western Economic Diversification Canada is the federal department responsible for administering this agreement in conjunction with the Saskatchewan Government's Ministry of Municipal Affairs.

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For more information, contact:

Joanne Mysak
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-975-5942

Greg Urbanoski
Municipal Affairs
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2155
Cell: 306-535-1243

Jill Cope
City of Saskatoon
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-975-3461

Ian MacLennan
Habitat for Humanity
Saskatoon
Phone: 306-343-7715