An exact location for the new OSB mill will be announced in the future. (Photo 215676548 © Mnogomesta | Dreamstime.com)

By Nigel Maxwell

New OSB mill

Prince Albert OSB mill expected to create over 700 jobs for Northern Sask.

Sep 8, 2021 | 11:10 AM

A major announcement made by the provincial government Wednesday morning will, in the words of Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne, ‘help kickstart the forestry industry in the province.’

One Sky Forest Products Ltd., a privately held Saskatchewan corporation, will construct and operate an Oriented Strand Board (OSB) plant following news of timber allocation from the province.

The $250 million facility will have a capacity of 600 million square feet (3/8-inch basis) of OSB annually, requiring approximately 845,000 m3 of timber. While the exact location of the mill has yet to be determined, the announcement itself is expected to create over 700 jobs for northern Saskatchewan.

“I call them careers. They’re not low entry jobs, these will be well paying jobs in the forestry industry, that when someone gets it, that’ll be their career. They’ll be able to buy a house and cars. And so that’s what is exciting for our city. It will really help our city economically,” Dionne said.

During the last municipal election campaign, Dionne mentioned he was leading a negotiating team that was in talks with investors ready to open a new forestry manufacturing production facility. Dionne confirmed talks have been ongoing with One Sky for over a year.

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“So I’m very pleased for the owners and operator of One Sky Products, that they’ve got their word allotment from the province, and what I think it does for the region, forestry has been lacking in our region for the last 10 years,” he said.

Dionne went on to explain there’s been lots of interest from British Columbia companies that are looking to relocate to Saskatchewan, because they have no wood allotment in B.C.

The Government of Saskatchewan allocates timber through the Ministry of Energy and Resources under The Forest Resources Management Act. The province is allocating the majority of the timber required for this project, while the remaining balance will be secured by the company through commercial agreements negotiated with other mills, Indigenous timber allocation holders and private landowners.

In a press release, One Sky founder and chair of the board Brian Fehr expressed his gratitude to the Government of Saskatchewan for awarding One Sky Forest Products and their partners the fibre tenures necessary to move the project forward.

“We have been working with our Saskatchewan investors and First Nations partners for over a year to get to this point and are eager to move to the next phase of project development. We thank the Government of Saskatchewan and look forward to developing this important project for Prince Albert, our First Nations partners and the people of Saskatchewan.”

With the North American residential construction industry forecasting a decade of growth, One Sky will enter the market producing performance-rated OSB sheathing, which is a preferred wall, roof and sub-floor sheathing material. The company said this timber allocation will also support the growth of other, value-added manufacturing in the forestry sector in the province.

In partnership with Peak Renewables Ltd. and local investors, Montreal Lake Business Ventures, Meadow Lake Tribal Council together with Big River First Nation, and Wahpeton Dakota Development Corporation, are contributing equity and fibre to the project. The company is also sourcing fibre from additional First Nations communities located near Prince Albert.

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nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell