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Flagstaff County, Alberta

The Flagstaff County, Alberta BDO Zone for Wheat Straw is rated ‘A’.

Rating Issue Date: May 10, 2024.

‘A’ ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.

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BDO Zone Rating

Flagstaff County, AB, BDO Zone Overview

Feedstock quantities are expressed in oven-dry tonnes per year (odt/yr), while feedstock costs are expressed in CAD ($). Maximum transport distance is based on a 120- km driving distance from the centre point (Forestburg, AB).

BDO Zone Assets:

450,000 odt per year low-risk wheat straw supply.
Multi-generational history of wheat production and wheat straw harvesting.
Producer willingness to participate in a wheat straw project under sustainable and mutually profitable conditions.
No large wheat straw competitors the BDO Zone.
Made-in-Alberta farm restricted Class 1 driver licensing alleviates truck driver shortages and creates local jobs.
A greenfield industrial park with investment ready plan.

BDO Zone Liabilities:

Uncertain wheat straw supply due to potential grain price volatility, yield fluctuations, and weather extremes.
Potentially challenging supply chain logistics due to geographical dispersion of farms of various sizes.
Potential public discomfort due to increased truck traffic, noise, emissions levels, road quality degradation, and accident risks.

Infrastructure

Greenfield Parcel

117-acre greenfield parcel in proposed Village of Forestburg/Flagstaff County Industrial Park.
Zoned as Highway Commercial (HC District).
Area Structure Plan (ASP) completed for site development.
Mix of commercial and industrial land uses planned.
Potential for development includes manufacturing, processing, repair, fabrication, lumber yards, agricultural support, agro-industrial, agritourism, automotive services, bulk fuel storage, and sales.
Suitable for large-scale biomass project with low risk assessment.

Contact Info

Ryan Magwood

Head of Business Development

BDO Zone Initiative

ryan@bdozone.org

647-962-3286

BDO Zone Local Development Leaders

Jenalee Waring

Economic Development Officer

Flagstaff County

Shaina Dunn

Economic Development Coordinator

Flagstaff County

Local grants and Incentives

Bio-Industrial Opportunities Section – Government of Alberta

Supports bio-economy development with specialized services and access to state-of-the-art equipment.

The Bio Processing Innovation Centre (BPIC) – operated by BIOS – is a 10,000 ft² pilot facility providing essential product development and scale-up support to the growing bioeconomy. BPIC offers a suite of facilities, equipment and expertise to help companies succeed. The assets are uniquely positioned between lab- and pilot-scale production, giving companies the ability to test and improve their proof-of-concept ideas and processes before committing to full production.

Agri-Food and Bioindustrial Innovation Program – Alberta Innovates

The Agri-food and Bioindustrial Innovation program aims to support the development of technologies that provide solutions to the challenges faced by the agri-food and bioindustrial sectors in Alberta. The Program provides support for up to $500,000 per project and up to 75% of total project costs, with remaining funding (cash or in-kind) from the Applicant, project partners, or other funding agencies.

Emerging Opportunities Program – Government of Alberta

The Emerging Opportunities Grant Program supports the Government of Alberta’s strategic objectives related to growth and development of Alberta’s value-added agriculture sector. The program supports projects that focus on innovation and result in significant company growth and sector impact. Projects can include new technologies, best new practises, significant capacity expansions and new builds. There is limited funding in the program. Projects conducted by agriculture and bio-industrial processors must have a minimum total project investment of $2 million. Maximum grant funding provided by this program is $1,000,000 per fiscal year, to a project maximum of $2,000,000.