MACKINNON ANNOUNCES SASKATCHEWAN FORESTRY DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

Economic and Co-operative Development Minister Janice MacKinnon today

announced establishment of the Saskatchewan Forestry Development

Centre, a Prince Albert-based initiative that will provide critical

training and marketing support to Saskatchewan's rapidly growing

forest industry.



"This centre will be a partnership of industry and government to

deliver the support services our forest industry needs as it doubles

in size and moves into new value-added activities," MacKinnon said.

"It will help the industry not only train Saskatchewan people for the

many forest jobs of tomorrow, but also assist our companies in

exploring new markets for new products that can be made competitively

and efficiently here."



MacKinnon said potential activities of the centre are identification

and co-ordination of training programs and services in technology

development, consulting, product development and market intelligence.

The centre will work with existing educational institutions, research

groups and industry across Canada to co-ordinate its services. The

mandate, goals and objectives of the centre will be developed over the

coming months in consultation with the forest industry, communities

and academic institutions.



The Saskatchewan Forestry Development Centre is an important part

of the expansion of the forest industry announced last month. As

many as 10,000 direct and indirect jobs are expected to be

created over the next three years as a result of over

$850 million in private sector investment. Additional jobs are

expected in manufacturing, agro-forestry and research and

development over the next 10 years. The centre will support this

growth.



"Investments in forestry training and product and market

development are investments in Saskatchewan's future," MacKinnon

said. "The centre is yet another way in which we are making

better and smarter use of our forest resource so that we can

create thousands of new jobs and opportunities while still

preserving our precious forests."



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For more information, contact:



Bob Ellis

Economic and Co-operative Development

Regina

Phone: (306) 787-1691