Rick Neilson
With surveyors laying out the building site in the background, about 90 district farmers and residents were on hand Monday to observe the official start of construction of the long-awaited new abattoir in Emo.
Steve Loshaw, president of the Rainy River District Regional Abattoir Inc. (RRDRAI), thanked everyone for coming out.
“It’s too bad Geoff couldn’t be here today,” Loshaw said, referring to regional economic development manager Geoff Gillon of the Rainy River Future Development Corp.
“This is the fourth year that we have been working on this,” he noted.
“We are really excited to get it started,” Loshaw continued before introducing his board members and other dignitaries, and expressing his appreciation for the contribution of each of them.
Emo Mayor Ed Carlson said he was pleased that the abattoir was being built in Emo, but stressed the township would have been supportive no matter where it had gone up.
“It is great for our community and great for the district,” he remarked.
Kathryn Duchnicky, FedNor community economic development officer from Thunder Bay, was on hand to present Loshaw with a letter from federal Industry minister Tony Clement, officially announcing that FedNor will be kicking $500,000 into the abattoir project.
“[This] will more than pay for itself by decreasing processing and handling costs for area farmers and increasing market opportunities for local products,” the letter read.
Chapple Reeve Peter Van Heyst said his township was happy to support the district’s agriculture community.
“I hope you are successful in your endeavour,” he said during Monday’s ceremony. “It is a wonderful project and a lot of people have worked hard to make it happen.”
Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty, who got wind of the sod-turning event at the last minute, arrived just in time to state this project was important for the region, suggesting Canadians have the right to eat Canadian food and that this was a step in that direction.
After the ceremony, everyone was invited to have a hamburger made from “Rainy River Raised” beef.
Not everyone joined in, however.
“This may be the last time I eat Rainy River beef,” said Kathy Leek.
She is part of the group of Emo residents who oppose the location of the new abattoir. Leek said that she and Brenda Hartlin were on hand “to observe.
In an interview before the sod-turning ceremony, Leek expressed concerns about the capacity of Emo’s sewer and water system—and suggested that no permits for water and sewer have been issued.
If they are, they should be posted on the Ontario Environmental Bill of Rights’ website.
“It’s not up there yet and it has to be posted for 20 days before extension of the water and sewer system can begin,” Leek asserted.
Construction of the provincially-inspected facility has been contracted to Coldbox from Vaughn, Ont., which specializes in construction of food and cold storage buildings.
Marko Dzeletovich, P. Eng. with Coldbox, was on hand for yesterday’s sod-turning.
He said they will be employing as much local trades as possible, and suggested that their strength is that they have a good knowledge of the food industry as well as provincial and federal regulations.
“We can anticipate what might be an issue,” Dzeletovich stated, going on to say they also are connected to a massive network of people who have answers.
Meanwhile, RRFDC chairman Russ Fortier said he was thrilled that “after four years of hard work by a group of dedicated people, we are finally seeing this project come to fruition.”
“We hold the mortgage,” he noted, referring to the $360,000 that constitutes the potion to be raised locally.
“I am looking forward to being able to enjoy local meat,” Fortier enthused, suggesting as well that the abattoir presents an opportunity for the private sector to get into processing.
Meanwhile, Loshaw reported there has been renewed interest in producers becoming members, with the first person who showed up for yesterday’s ceremony handing him a $500 cheque for membership.
