New Cargill canola processing facility breaks ground in Regina

Cargill canola crush plant breaks ground WATCH: Dignitaries were present for the formal start of construction for Cargill's canola crushing plant near Regina.

The official ground breaking ceremony for construction at the new Cargill canola processing facility at the Global Transportation Hub (GTH) took place on Tuesday morning in Regina.

The ceremony marked the beginning of construction for the $350 million project, with Premier Scott Moe and Mayor Sandra Masters lending a hand.

The plant is projected to crush a million tonnes of canola annually.

Jeff Vassart, president of Cargill Limited, said working with the province has given them confidence because they’ve proven a stable business environment.

“As far as making this investment, the forward thinking in infrastructure I would say is another really significant factor for us to consider; road, rail, utilities,” he said.

Cargill operates in 70 countries around the world and already operate a plant near Saskatoon.

Hundreds of jobs will be created during the construction phase and 50 full time jobs when the plant opens in early 2024.

Canola oil will will be shipped all over the world and used for human consumption as well as bio diesel. The leftover canola meal will be used as feed in the livestock sector.