A view of Imperial Oil’s Strathcona fuel refinery from the North Saskatchewan River. (Imperial Oil photo via BusinessWire)

Imperial Oil clears Edmonton renewable diesel plant for construction

Quick decision motivated in part by need for feedstocks such as canola oil, company says

Reuters — Imperial Oil on Thursday announced approval for an investment of $720 million to build Canada’s largest renewable diesel facility at its Strathcona refinery near Edmonton. The Calgary-based company said the facility will produce 20,000 barrels per day of renewable diesel and is expected to start production in 2025. Imperial expects regulatory approval for […] Read more

Interior view of the Aurora Sky cannabis production facility near Edmonton. (Aurora Cannabis video screengrab)

Aurora buys control of major B.C. hothouse veg firm

Bevo Farms to take over Aurora Sky cannabis production site

A major player in B.C.’s greenhouse vegetable sector is about to expand its operations into an Alberta cannabis grow facility — backed by a major investment from the plant’s owner. Aurora Cannabis on Aug. 25 announced a subsidiary is buying a 50.1 per cent stake in Bevo Agtech, the parent of vegetable and ornamental plant […] Read more


The cannabis market is huge, but so are the losses

The sector wants lower taxes and less regulation, but over-expansion has crippled many companies

Reading Time: 3 minutes Forget waterhemp. Cannabis might be Canada’s fastest spreading weed. Since being legalized in October 2018, cannabis production exploded across the country. From oils and edibles to dried flowers and other products, consumer demand continues to rise. But regulations, production woes and massive overcapacity have dragged the industry into a period of consolidation. The overall market […] Read more

Aurora Cannabis in November 2019 opened a flagship retail store at the West Edmonton Mall, describing the 11,000-square foot shop as “both a retail cannabis store and an immersive experiential space.” (CNW Group/Aurora Cannabis Inc.)

Aurora Cannabis to shut one Edmonton plant

Reuters — Aurora Cannabis said Tuesday it will shut down a facility at Edmonton, adding to the woes of the cash-strapped Canadian pot producer which has been reeling under the impact of the pandemic since last year. The company said medical distribution from the Aurora Polaris facility that is being shut down will move to […] Read more


strathcona refinery

Boom times: Green diesel plant could light a fire under canola

New renewable diesel facility expected to soak up a lot of canola oil, and fuel major production increases

Reading Time: 5 minutes Alberta farmers could see a huge new market for their canola right in their own backyard — the country’s largest renewable diesel facility. “It’s exciting news,” said Chris Vervaet, executive director of the Canadian Oilseed Processors Association. “Another market — and a potentially significant market — that drives demand is a boon for the canola […] Read more

A view of Imperial Oil's Strathcona fuel refinery from the North Saskatchewan River.

Imperial Oil lays out Alberta renewable diesel plan

Company would use 'locally grown' canola, soybean oils

Reuters — Imperial Oil, one of Canada’s biggest oil producers and refiners, on Wednesday outlined a plan to process vegetable oil into renewable diesel at its 191,000-barrel-per-day Edmonton-area refinery. The project, which still requires final approval, is part of majority-owner Exxon Mobil’s goal of producing more than 40,000 barrels per day of low-emissions fuels by […] Read more


(Dave Bedard photo)

Federated Co-op to close Calgary distribution centre

The main supply outlet for Co-op grocery stores in southern Alberta and British Columbia is set to close in April as one of its main users takes its business elsewhere. Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) announced Thursday it will close its Calgary food distribution centre in April, a decision it said will eliminate just over 200 […] Read more

(FCL.crs)

Co-op Feeds to shut two Prairie plants, sell another

In the face of “industry challenges,” Federated Co-operatives’ livestock feed manufacturing division plans to pull its operations from six plants down into three. Saskatoon-based Federated Co-op announced Monday it will consolidate its production of bulk and bagged cattle, horse, sheep and poultry feed into three of its existing plants, at Calgary, Saskatoon and Moosomin, Sask. […] Read more



Crews replace lead-tainted water service lines at homes in Flint, Michigan in March. In view of the Flint emergency, other U.S. jurisdictions are expected to ramp up investment in water-related infrastructure. (CityofFlint.com)

Ad Feature: Edmonton firm acquires water works capacity

Edmonton-based Stantec Inc., an engineering and infrastructure consulting company, has announced the biggest deal in its 62-year history. The all-cash deal for Broomfield, Colorado-based MWH Global, which Stantec said is expected to close in the second quarter could increase Stantec’s annual revenues by about 60 per cent, to more than $4.5 billion, while its global […] Read more