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Vegreville News Advertiser - Business
Strong Potential for Investment in Bio-Economy
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” This quote, attributed to Roman philosopher Seneca, is a reminder that people make their own luck.
It still holds true today, and a recent example that can be pointed to is the recent Bio-economy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone ‘A’ Rating for 455,000 bone dry tons of wheat straw per year. It is the first rating in Alberta for agricultural residues and extends 120 kilometers from the center point in Vegreville.
According to an Oct. 1 joint news release, “Vegreville’s 'A' rating denotes high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new bio-based plant operations is strong, with skilled growers, high wheat straw yields, limited competition, and an underutilized fleet of equipment, offering an operational advantage. The 72-acre industrial park, with 17 serviced lots, zoned M2—Heavy Industrial District, is well-suited for bio-based projects seeking a reliable supply of wheat straw. The park actively promotes bio-based projects, receiving strong encouragement and support from municipal and provincial levels.”
The ‘A’ rating was awarded following an extensive assessment and made possible through grant funding awarded to the Canadian Council for Sustainable Aviation Fuels (C-SAF) that was created by leaders from over 60 airlines operating in Canada. Its mission is to facilitate the production and use of Canadian made, low-carbon and sustainable aviation fuels.
C-SAF Executive Director Geoff Tauvette stated that while there are many medium to long-term feedstocks, there is an immediate sourcing and use of agriculture residue feedstock, like wheat straw to build SAF supply chains today. “We must capitalize on every available avenue, and Vegreville, Alberta now presents a prime opportunity to accelerate the growth of our domestic SAF industry.”
Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative, stated, “Decarbonization of the Canadian airline industry is absolutely vital to our clean energy goals. Canadian leadership in this sector is achievable by leveraging the enormous surpluses of sustainable Canadian biomass. The BDO Zone Rating for Vegreville will draw attention to an optimal area for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) development in this country.”
Alberta HUB Executive Director Bab Bezpalko said C-SAF reached out to him as it was looking for an area to conduct the assessment. Bezpalko said the 120 km radius encompasses the majority of the Alberta HUB region. He believes the ‘A’ Rating will not only create opportunities for Vegreville but other members of Alberta HUB. Altogether, there are 51 members of Alberta HUB.
Bezpalko said the excess wheat straw feedstock would provide another revenue stream for farmers and also provide opportunities for companies to set up businesses in the region. Even though promotion has just begun, Bezpalko said there has already been an inquiry into this and he expects more to come in the weeks ahead.
Vegreville Mayor Tim MacPhee said, “The Town of Vegreville is exceptionally proud of the BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating. Positioned in the heart of Canada’s premier agricultural lands, offering some of the most affordable, shovel-ready industrial lots in the province, and home to InnoTech Alberta’s world-renowned agricultural research, this rating further affirms that the Vegreville region is primed for agriculture-related industrial development. We hope this rating demonstrates to potential investors what we, as Council, have understood for years: that Vegreville has the potential to become the smart-agriculture hub not only in Alberta, but across the entire country.”
Jamieson Brown, Manager of Community Engagement & Economic Development for the Town of Vegreville said, “The BDO Zone’s 'A' Rating awarded to Vegreville not only highlights our community’s – and the surrounding region’s – strong readiness for bio-based manufacturing, but more importantly, it elevates our region on national and international stages. This is thanks to EcoStrat’s ongoing promotion of the rating and the corresponding announcement.
The Vegreville area offers investment-ready land at affordable rates, immediate access to Alberta’s major transportation network, and some of the best agricultural land in the province. Continued promotion and marketing of these assets are key to attracting investment to the region.”
Attracting Investment on a Global Scale
Michelle Pinon - News Advertiser
Attracting investment is Shane Olson’s specialty. Lamont County’s Economic Development Manager and has been working as a municipal economic developer for 22 years, 18 of which have been in Alberta.
He has received marketing awards of excellence from the International Economic Development Council, the Economic Development Association of Canada and the Economic Developers of Alberta. He has completed various economic development training courses with both EDA Alberta and EDAC over the years.
Initiatives he has been working on since coming on board with Lamont County in 2023 include: working on the water intake and waterline project, Land Use Bylaw refresh, marketing initiatives including the refreshed LamontCountyNow investment website, tax incentive bylaw creation, and working with the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA) and organizations like Invest Alberta on investment inquiries to pitch Lamont County on the national and global stage, and in particular for petrochemical and agricultural processing investment.
“As showcased on our new website, Lamont County is home to the Bruderheim Energy Terminal by Cenovus, Western Asphalt, Graymont (who undertake lime processing and production) and VIP Rail by Alpenglow – a rail loop terminal. We participate in AIHA board meetings, international trade missions, and work together with the economic developers in the AIHA ecosystem to bring more investment and reduce barriers for industry. Lamont County has approximately 26,000 acres of heartland heavy industrial zoned lands and is primed for future growth.”
Olson pointed out that, “Key changes include access to economic development tools, maps, graphs and visualization tools related to investing in Lamont County. The website is focused on promoting the benefits of locating in the region. It allows decision makers to assess the advantages and value of investing in Lamont County, with streamlined information at the hands of those who need it.”
As well, “To help bolster development in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland, a number of initiatives by industry focus on net zero, carbon capture, storage and sequestration, and are underway to help with the energy transition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” It is home to two refinery complexes with Carbon Capture Technology and the world’s largest CO2 pipeline, noted Olson. “Companies in our region are among the world’s lowest cost producers of low carbon hydrogen and we are well positioned to lead the world in a low-carbon, low emissions energy future.
Lamont County has low-cost zoned industrial land ready for the next wave of industrial growth, is working on accessing processed industrial water, and has a municipal tax incentive at 2.5 per cent of the capital cost available for projects worth $50 million dollars or more among other criteria. Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association has looked at a number of research studies as well in diversified sectors such as critical mineral processing and other areas to help us attract a mix of new industry.”
Lamont County is a founding member of AIHA and works closely with the AIHA business development team when they bring forward leads and inquiries looking to locate in Alberta from companies internationally.
Reeve David Diduck is the current Board Chair of the AIHA. Diduck said, “The visionaries who laid the foundation for the Alberta Industrial Heartland Association (AIHA) felt responsible industrial development while balancing economic progress with environmental stewardship could more readily be accomplished through a collaborative effort with surrounding municipalities.
This year the Alberta Industrial Heartland is proudly celebrating its 25th anniversary. The Alberta Industrial Heartland Association has been very successful in meeting the vision of its founders, and today the Alberta Industrial Heartland region is recognized as Canada’s largest hydrocarbon processing region and is a leader in aligning economic development with environmental goals.”
Reeve Diduck believes that, “Continued participation by Lamont County in Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association is critical to the long-term sustainability of Lamont County. Although Lamont County currently has a limited industrial base, industry does pay 75 percent ($12 million) of the County’s tax revenue while farm and residential pay the remaining 25 percent ($4 million). Attracting industrial investment to Lamont County increases the tax base, creates jobs, attracts residents, allows our urban partners to grow, and allows for the provision of a greater range of services for our residents.”
AIHA held its annual conference on Sept. 19 and Diduck said, “A highlight of the conference was a presentation from Fortune Minerals, who are looking at setting up a metallurgical processing facility in Lamont County.”
