The Meadow Lake Tribal Council, comprised of nine First Nations, has opened the first 100 percent Indigenous-owned bioenergy facility in Canada. The facility uses wood waste generated from the tribal council's sawmill to generate heat and power.
Our forestry sector is a key economic driver and will be a leader of Saskatchewan s post-pandemic recovery efforts, Energy and Resources Minister Bronwyn Eyre said. Forestry is an important sector for many communities in Saskatchewan and supports thousands of jobs, while producing important products that we all use, including tissue paper, cabinetry, and housing construction materials. Forestry is currently northern Saskatchewan s largest sector, supporting nearly 8,000 jobs. There are seven major primary forest products facilities that produce lumber, OSB and pulp, and over 200 smaller businesses that supply a variety of primary and secondary forestry products. Hundreds of supply chain businesses also provide goods and services for forestry manufacturers, including in road construction, logging, trucking, reforestation and forest management.
Sask. forestry industry sees record sales and potential for increased growth
Saskatchewan’s forest industry is having a bounce-back year, seeing 30 percent increase in sales.
Recent statistics suggest that over $1.1 billion worth of forest products sold in 2020.
In northern Saskatchewan, 8000 people work in the forestry sector, with seven major companies producing lumber and pulp.
Saskatchewan is also home to the largest, 100 per cent First Nations-owned forest products mill in Canada, and Indigenous people comprise over 27 per cent of the province’s total forestry sector workforce – the highest of any province.
There are also dozens of Indigenous-owned forestry businesses, ranging from saw mills and timber harvesting operations to road construction, trucking and reforestation.
PRINCE ALBERT The Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) is hoping to inspire Indigenous businesses through its future bioenergy centre. The centre, located near the MLTC’s NorSask Sawmill, has been under construction for one year. It will create carbon-neutral green power using waste wood. It’s expected to create 6.6 megawatts of baseload electricity to power about 5,000 homes in MLTC communities. All of the proceeds will go to recreation and youth centres. “I see it as a sense of ownership for our community members right now and also showing the province and also Canada that we’re economic drivers,” said MLTC Chief Richard Ben.