New super cluster plan will bear fruit — just look at Sask. history
The announcement of $250 million from the federal government for an agricultural super cluster based on proteins met enthusiasm from the industry in Western Canada. Pulse industry spokesmen described the protein research and development plans as necessary to turn the Prairies from simply exporting raw grain to exporting valuable products extracted from the grain.
Including funds from industry partners the super cluster will involve $950 million investment. Industry participation shows this notion is not just another bureaucrat’s dream on paper.
Not everybody is happy with the super cluster plan, a federal plan that involves five super clusters across the country.
A columnist for the right-wing Post Media newspapers questioned the whole idea of super clusters, pointing out that Canada already has naturally developed super clusters in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
The Ontario-centred columnist further suggests government is not equipped to choose winners and losers in business.
Saskatchewan has a nearly 40-year history with a super cluster developed by the provincial government under Premier Grant Devine.
When Devine announced Innovation Place for Saskatoon as a centre of excellence in agricultural related research and industry, skeptics had a field day. It turns out almost 40 years later that Innovation Place is one of the best moves the Devine government made. Saskatoon has become a hub of biotechnology and food industry since the 1980s.
The operation directly employs 142 people with three locations: Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert. More importantly, 110 tenants in Saskatoon employ 2,500 people in 20 buildings with co-labs and co-working space for tenants. In Regina, there are 33 tenants and about 1,200 employees. Prince Albert, focused on forestry, has 20 tenants and 200 employees.
Without the centre of excellence concept that Devine brought to the fledgling Innovation Place, most of these jobs, spinoff jobs and the benefits to provincial food and agriculture industry likely would not have happened. Saskatoon tenants range from AgWest Biotech to branches of international ag input makers like BASF and Bayer Crop Science to the Canadian Grain Commission to a website developer.
The Regina tenants include the Petroleum Technology Centre work on greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon capture storage technology. And the province’s green energy development operates out of an Innovation Place location.
The just-announced super cluster won’t be an overnight sensation scoring political points. Over the years, observers will note how this piece of long term planning played a major role in keeping Saskatchewan agriculture competitive in world markets.
Just growing seeds and exporting them is no longer enough. Emerging economies are becoming more self-sufficient in food production. Some former Soviet Union countries enjoy natural freight advantages.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net