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By Angela Brown

New development

Preliminary talks underway as firm proposes building fish processing plant in region

Jul 20, 2019 | 5:00 PM

An Ottawa-based firm is in talks with First Nations members to form a partnership and develop a fish processing plant in the area.

Rod Gopher, a business advisor for the Indigenous parties, confirmed the organization True North Exportation planned a preliminary meeting in North Battleford with interested Saskatchewan First Nation groups.

“We’re going to sit down with some investors with the idea of potentially building a commercial fish processing plant, with two initial locations – North Battleford or Prince Albert,” he told battlefordsNOW.

He said both locations are strong hubs for transportation.

True North Exportation proposed the initiative to the First Nations group. It is still being determined which parties will take part.

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“The whole idea is to be able to create employment,” Gopher said.

There is no timeline for the project and the financial details are still being discussed.

Gopher said the plant will be a large facility and provide many jobs.

“We are hoping to be able to train local people to be able to fit in, from the administration to the production side,” he said.

The freshwater fish for production will come from Northern Saskatchewan.

Gopher said a feasibility study still needs to be completed.

While the site for the plant is yet to be decided, Gopher said if it proceeds, he would like to see it built in the Battlefords.

“I’m hoping they choose North Battleford because it is going to be local, and the local people want employment,” he explained.

In 2017, a firm based in British Columbia had planned to turn the former Maple Leaf Foods building in North Battleford into a fish processing facility but ultimately didn’t proceed with the venture.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW