Ottawa has announced a $3 million investment in Meadow Lake Tribal Council Industrial Investments LP to modernize its NorSask Forest Products facility with necessary upgrades and innovative technologies.
The new and improved facility is expected to “significantly enhance efficiency and reduce energy consumption while sustaining hundreds of jobs and driving economic growth in the region.”
“The funding received by the Meadow Lake Tribal Council (MLTC) from Natural Resources Canada’s Indigenous Forestry Initiative is a strong statement of support by the federal government for forest-based economic development among Indigenous communities.” said Richard Ben, tribal chief, Meadow Lake Tribal Council. “Specifically, the financial support provided by NRCan undergirds 30 years of MLTC ownership, investment, employment opportunity and growth in the forest product manufacturing sector in northwest Saskatchewan.
“Through this kind of affirmative action, the federal government demonstrates its commitment to ensuring ongoing and sustained participation of Indigenous communities in forestry-based economic opportunities.”
The funding is provided through the Indigenous Forestry Initiative (IFI) program, which supports Indigenous-led economic development opportunities in Canada’s forest sector.
Through Budget 2019, the Government of Canada committed an additional $12.6 million over three years for the IFI program. This investment will support the continued development of new forest-based technologies and products that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help Indigenous communities increase and diversify market opportunities.
Meadow Lake Tribal Council Industrial Investments LP is a for-profit organization that has been in forestry management since 1987 and acquired a 100 per cent stake in NorSask in 1998.
NorSask is a lumber manufacturer and the largest, wholly First Nations–owned sawmill in Canada.
