The federal government is providing more than $11.2 million for eight projects in Saskatchewan to help businesses deal with the effects of U.S. tariffs. Buckley Belanger, secretary of state for rural development, announced the funding Friday. “Today’s investment of over $11.2 million for eight Saskatchewan businesses will help them produce more here at home, create good jobs, and find new customers around the world,” Belanger said. The money is being provided through PrairiesCan’s Regional Tariff Response Initiative and Business Scale-up and Productivity program. The government says the projects will help businesses “enter new markets and build long-term economic resilience during uncertain times.” According to the federal government, four projects will receive about $7.6 million in repayable funding. Northern Nutrients Ltd. will receive $3.1 million, M.P.S. Welding Inc. about $2.6 million, Solo Italia Fine Pasta Inc. and South West Terminal Ltd. $1.15 million, and Titan Clean Energy Projects Corporation $787,500. Another four projects will receive about $3.6 million in non-repayable funding. The money will go to Three Farmers Foods Inc., Honey Bee Manufacturing, Solo Italia Fine Pasta Inc. and South West Terminal Ltd., and Western Canadian Short Line Railway Association Inc. for expansion, facility upgrades and other projects. “The continued support of the BSP program has been instrumental in Northern Nutrients’ growth. The contribution from BSP will help ensure the tripling of our sulphur fertilizer capacity to 150,000 metric tons per year is a successful project that will provide efficient crop nutrients to the local market and beyond for years to come,” Ross Guenther, CEO of Northern Nutrients Ltd., said. The federal government says these projects will support more than 147 jobs.
