Released on October 20, 2008
Enterprise and Innovation Minister Lyle Stewart and Crown Corporations Minister Ken Cheveldayoff today announced the establishment of a new 12 person Uranium Development Partnership to advise the Government of Saskatchewan on further development of Saskatchewan's vast uranium resources.
"As the world moves to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, many countries including Canada are looking to nuclear power as a source of clean, reliable electricity," Stewart said. "The expansion of the nuclear industry around the world offers an opportunity for Saskatchewan to add value to our raw uranium resources, grow our economy, create new jobs and contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions."
Led by Dr. Richard Florizone, a nuclear physicist and Vice President of Finance at the University of Saskatchewan, the mandate of the Uranium Development Partnership is to identify, evaluate and make recommendations on Saskatchewan-based, value added opportunities in the uranium industry.
The partnership includes representatives from the University of Regina and the University of Saskatchewan, urban and rural municipalities, business, labour, First Nations, the environmental community and Canada's nuclear industry.
The partnership will also identify challenges to development; investment requirements and timelines; legislative and/or regulatory conditions required to move forward. The partnership will also identify research and development opportunities; labour force requirements; and education and training capacity.
"The Uranium Development Partnership will receive up to $3 million in funding from the Crown Investments Corporation," Cheveldayoff said. "Saskatchewan needs to develop an energy plan for the future, and we will be looking at primarily four sources of energy - nuclear, wind, hydro and clean coal."
The partnership will provide a final report to the government by March 31, 2009. The report will include specific recommendations on value added opportunities best suited to the development of the uranium industry.
The partnership report will be released to the public and form the basis for public consultation.
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For more information, contact:
Mike Woods
Crown Investments Corporation
Regina
Phone: 306-787-5889
Email: mwoods@cicorp.sk.ca