She said the province has to continue to oppose federal policies that impose significant additional costs on the oil and gas sector, with marginal environmental benefits in many cases. An example she gave was the Clean Fuel Standard, which she said will have a major impact on the energy and resource, agriculture and manufacturing sectors. It will also impact regular Canadians, heating their homes and filling their cars. “The Clean Fuel regulations will result in an estimated increase in gasoline costs of up to 11 cents per litre, and diesel costs of up to 13 cents per litre by 2030. That clearly hits where it hurts on transportation, certainly. In Saskatchewan, based on current consumption volumes, that impact equates to roughly $710 million on Saskatchewan residents by 2030, and they’re huge numbers: $400 million from diesel consumption, $310 million from gas consumption.”
A serial entrepreneur, Big Eagle announced his latest venture, Evolution Growers. It will start with a $20 to $30 million, 200,000 square foot “indoor agricultural facility” to be located just east of the Estevan Comprehensive School. A new sign went up on the site Wednesday morning. To put that 200,000 square feet to scale, Estevan’s Walmart is a little over 100,000 square feet in area. And that’s for the first phase, according to Big Eagle. The intention is to expand further down the road. Big Eagle generally refrains from calling it a “greenhouse,” saying, “There s going to be a little bit more of technology and robotics.”
That city land had previously been slated for a solar power development that fell through, and thus it is now available, according to Estevan city manager Jeff Ward. To put that 200,000 square feet to scale, Estevan’s Walmart is a little over 100,000 square feet in area. And that’s for the first phase, according to Big Eagle. The intention is to expand further down the road. Big Eagle generally refrains from calling it a “greenhouse,” saying, “There s going to be a little bit more of technology and robotics.” Part of the research included going to the Netherlands as part of a federal government trade mission. Several Estevan city officials also took part. That trade mission provided an opportunity to see the latest in growing technology, which Big Eagle plans to incorporate.