PrairiesCan investments support value-added agricultural projects in Alberta

PrairiesCan is investing over $21 million in approximately 14 different agricultural value-added projects.

Dignitaries, stakeholders, students and others were on hand for the announcement of federal support on Wednesday, July 3, at the Smart Farm Operations Center on the campus of the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology.

Dan Vandal, Minister of PrairiesCan, stresses that the federal government is making strategic investments to build on Alberta’s solid track record of commercializing innovative products, services and technologies that the world needs. He says, “These are all projects that are focused on innovation through technology to create better outcomes for value-added technologies here in Alberta. So in that respect, they’re all similar. In total, we’ll create and sustain over 800 jobs with this investment.”

Vandal said these investments are consistent with the goal of the Green Prairie Economy Framework, which is to create good jobs by helping to build a stronger and more sustainable economic future in Prairie communities.

He reacted after touring the Olds College Smart Farm. Vandal says, “Well, I’ve learned that technology is more important than ever in agriculture and value-added agriculture and that we get better results by funding local people, farmers and organizations like Olds College.”

A press release says that as part of the PrairiesCan investment, Olds College will receive just over $3 million to expand Smart Farm operations to Saskatchewan and purchase new equipment to increase capacity to research agricultural challenges on the Prairies, including food security, crop protection, livestock health and environmental sustainability. He says, “The timing is always good for innovation that uses technology to create jobs and deliver better environmental outcomes. I’m on the road, I’m touring Alberta. I was in northern Alberta today, near Edmonton. I’m on my way to Calgary for the Stampede. Right here is a perfect stop.”

Vandal says PrairiesCan comes from Western Economic Diversification and is a regional economic development agency for the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba – where he is from.