A number of potential opportunities with respect to economic development are presenting themselves at this time, and as your MLA, I have been working extremely hard to ensure that these opportunities are available to our area. I hope that all of these opportunities become reality for our area.

O.S.B. PLANT. The location of an O.S.B. plant for our area, specifically in the Powerview/Pine Falls area would be welcome news. An announcement for its location somewhere in Manitoba is expected to be made shortly. Municipal councils, specifically the R.M. of Alexander and the Town of Powerview/Pine Falls, and generally, all Municipal councils in Eastern Manitoba, and several First Nations communities are working diligently to ensure that this plant is located in the Powerview/Pine Falls area. I have been speaking to government Ministers involved to push the positive attributes of our area.

ETHANOL PLANT. The ethanol plant in Minnedosa has been approved by both the Federal and Provincial governments. There is no doubt that another ethanol plant will be required to be built in Manitoba to meet the demand for ethanol in Manitoba. It’s just a question of where. The Beausejour/Brokenhead Development Corporation has been working extremely hard to convince interested companies to locate in the Beausejour/Brokenhead area. I commend the BBDC and its volunteers for their hard work on this project. I have been working hard to convince Provincial government officials that an ethanol plant is needed in the area.

WIND POWER. The wind power generating facility in St. Leon provides a tremendous economic boost to the St. Leon area in terms of capital investment, ongoing maintenance support, and as another source of income to farmers who rent their land for the location of wind generators. I have been advised by companies in the business, that the Brokenhead/Lac du Bonnet/Whitemouth area appears to have the necessary wind quality within which to establish a wind farm. I will continue to work closely with them in the hope that this will become a reality for the Constituency.