Funding spurs eco-friendly innovation in forestry and ag sectors

January 23, 2009

Edmonton... New jobs and business opportunities in rural and aboriginal communities are the aim of $10-million in funding for the development of environmentally friendly products and processes in the province's renewable resource sectors.  

Three research projects under industry, academia and government partnerships will be funded over three years through this contribution from the national Community Development Trust (CDT) fund. Each project targets developing new value-added opportunities for the forestry and agriculture sectors. Funding will be administered by Alberta Advanced Education and Technology through the Alberta Forestry Research Institute.  

"In these difficult times, we are allocating a portion of Alberta's CDT funds to diversify our cornerstone resource sectors.  Investing in our can-do community spirit and powerhouse research expertise on exciting bioeconomy opportunities could lead to big results," said Doug Horner, Minister of Advanced Education and Technology. "Bio-innovations will add to Alberta's economic diversification portfolio. Alberta has a growing reputation for turning great ideas into new jobs here and technologies valued around the world."

The projects are located mainly in the communities of Drayton Valley, St. Albert and Fairview-Peace River.  In Drayton Valley, $4.5 million will go to developing ways of turning forestry and agricultural fibre into bio-geotextiles, sound-proof construction materials, and eco-friendly car and furniture parts.  This fibremat initiative may lead to establishment of a unique product development centre.

$3.6 million will establish a Centre for Excellence on Fast-growing Tree Plantations north of St Albert with satellite sites near several other communities in central Alberta. The funds will also demonstrate how fast-growing willow and poplar plantations fertilized with industrial wastewater and sludge could become an excellent source of feedstock for making transportation fuels like ethanol.

In Peace River-Fairview, the Boreal Reclamation Program of the NAIT Boreal Centre will receive $1.8 million to develop new methods of reclaiming well sites and other industrial sites to a fully forested state. Aboriginal communities will participate in the project. The centre will also deliver information on these best practices through the Alberta Forest Extension Network. 

The Government of Canada created the $1-billion Trust to help provinces and territories assist communities and workers facing economic hardship caused by the current volatility in global financial and commodities markets.  Alberta's allocation of the CDT is $104 million.