Federated Co-operatives Limited held an open house this week to get the public's feedback on their Integrated Agriculture Complex at Regina.

Patrick Bergermann, FCL's associate vice president of the energy roadmap says they had over 150 people come out to learn more about the two projects involved.

"We have a 15,000 barrel per day renewable diesel production facility that's planned to the east of our existing refinery in Regina. Just to the north of our existing refinery in Regina, we have plans for a 1.1 million metric tonne canola crush facility in partnership with AGT foods and that would be a feedstock source for the renewable diesel plant that would be nearby."

Bergermann says the open house gave them the opportunity to talk directly with people about the projects.

"We had the opportunity to interact with farmers who are from the local community and we're very interested in what this means for local canola market economics. We had contractors that were very interested in some of the jobs that are going to be created as a part of this. So we have about 4500 jobs that we expect to create through the construction phases and over 200 jobs once the assets become operational."

He says they did have some questions regarding smell, traffic and noise associated with the facilities and they were able to explain that is part of the process they've been working through with Saskatchewan's Ministry of the Environment in assessing what some of those impacts will beto the local community and how to mitigate them. 

Bergermann says they were able to share some of those mitigation plans with those that were concerned and will be incorporating any of their input into the submission to the Ministry of the Environment.

He notes they plan to have the canola crush facility operational for harvest of 2027, with plans to begin producing renewable diesel fuel from the adjacent assets in 2028.

More details on the projects can be found here.

To hear Glenda-Lee's conversation with Patrick Bergermann click on the link below.