Today, the Government of Saskatchewan welcomed the new investment by Northern Nutrients to build a sulphur-enhanced urea fertilizer manufacturing facility near Saskatoon.
The facility will be the first in Canada to utilize the innovative Shell Thiogro technology, a patented process to make high-quality sulphur/urea prills for crop production, while enhancing the sustainability of fertilizer production here at home and abroad. It will be the first non-potash fertilizer manufacturing plant built in Saskatchewan since 1992.
"Saskatchewan is a global leader in the production of food and fertilizer, and this investment by Northern Nutrients will further strengthen our competitive advantage in agriculture," Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "This facility will be another strong complement to our burgeoning ag industry, creating good local jobs and helping to grow the value of our manufacturing exports in the months and years ahead."
Construction of the new $25 million fertilizer manufacturing facility will begin in July 2021 with an expected completion in early 2022, producing at an initial annual capacity of 28,000 tonnes for domestic and export markets. The company expects to hire about 30 new employees when the plant is operational, and at full capacity it should supply 15 to 20 per cent of Western Canada's Sulphur fertilizer needs.
"We're excited to be building this new fertilizer manufacturing facility in Saskatchewan, bringing this sustainable fertilizer technology to Canada for the first time," Northern Nutrients President and Co-Owner Ross Guenther said. "Saskatchewan is a perfect fit, being in the heart of crop production in Canada along with a competitive business environment."
The facility will help Saskatchewan achieve ambitious goals in the Growth Plan, including increasing crop production to 45 million metric tonnes, increasing the value of exports by 50 per cent, and growing private capital investment in Saskatchewan to $16 billion annually by 2030.
