'There’s opportunity here': Yorkton's LDC crush plant kicks off expansion project

The sod was turned at the LDC operation on Thursday. (Brady Lang / CTV News)

Yorkton, Sask. — One of Yorkton’s two canola crush plants is getting set to expand its operations by double.

Thursday morning, in front of over 100 visitors and workers at the Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) operation, the sod was turned to begin the official expansion.

The expansion will see at least 80 new workers at the facility, expected to double operations, according to Brian Conn, LDC Head of Country.

“We’d always hoped there would be a chance to look at expansion,” Conn told reporters Thursday.

“The local community has been welcomed us with open arms and we’ve been able to be very successful in this area. Not just working with local growers, but the local community and the local services provided to sustain a service like this.”

Premier Scott Moe was in attendance, and called canola one of the quickest growing exports in the province.

“There’s opportunity here,” he told the crowds.

“In 2020 alone, we saw $3.5 billion worth of canola oil leave Saskatchewan.”

He said the shipments are a part of a larger story, with exports at a record high in 2023.

“[Yorkton] knows how to do it in this part of the province, and they know how to grow it,” Moe added.

The project is expected to be completed by mid-2025, with construction starting immediately.