Fertilizer distribution centre could be set up near Tisdale

A fertilizer company is planning to set up a distribution centre near Tisdale.

Genesis Fertilizers is working with Invest Tisdale and local industry for the project. If completed it would be located in the newly established agricultural industrial park on Highway 3 west of town.

The company is a partnership that will be majority owned by Western Canadian farmers investing equity to build their fertilizer future by vertically integrating urea production and distribution. Genesis Fertilizers’ plan includes a 700,000 million tonnes per annum urea production facility to be located at Belle Plaine and a network of seven storage and distribution facilities across the three Prairie provinces.

Terry Drabiuk, vice president of business development for Genesis Fertilizers, said the land located within the Rural Municipality of Tisdale is owned by C-Merak. C-Merak is a grain handling and food processing business, therefore requires a bigger need for rail service. Genesis needs access to rail. C-Merak will provide rail and rail service for Genesis. C-Merak will get a reoccurring revenue and Genesis will concentrate on blending and distributing fertilizer. It also cuts down on our CAPEX which allows to build more facilities faster for both companies. Drabiuk said it takes a year to build with best case scenario that we start civil work in the spring of 2024. Construction has not yet started.

“The lease agreement needs to be formally signed, we still need to settle on the plot plan, complete the geotechnical work, surveying, and facility design specific for the Tisdale facility,” Drabiuk said. “Ideally, construction would begin in spring 2024.”

Invest Tisdale is a board comprised of representatives from the Tisdale town council and RM of Tisdale council focused on Economic Development to grow the economy that leads to new jobs and increased prosperity that contributes to the GDP growth.

With two highways, two railways and being located in one of the most productive growing regions in the world, Tisdale occupies a strategically important position. For Genesis Fertilizers, this working partnership with Invest Tisdale presents an opportunity to streamline the storage, blending, and direct distribution of fertilizer to farmers across North East and East Central Saskatchewan, with potential expansion into Western Manitoba.

“Tisdale offers immense opportunity for businesses to grow and support our agriculture powerhouse sector,” said Brendan Samida, chair of the Invest Tisdale Economic Board. “Our future is promising as farm operations and value-added processing at the place crops are harvested continue to grow, with investments pouring into land and buildings from fourth- and fifth-generation families in the Economic Region.”

The Invest Tisdale Economic Board supports industrial expansion for the long-term benefits of the region’s economic growth and sees Genesis Fertilizers as a strategic partner within the farming supply chain.

“We aim to promote synergy between industries and businesses, urging them to be innovative in their planning to reduce their carbon footprint, waste, and land-use. We encourage investments in our transportation and utility infrastructure expansion plans. This makes for a powerful and productive partnership that fuels growth in rural Saskatchewan,” Samida said.

Tisdale is a good fit for Genesis Fertilizers due to its access to railways, vibrant agricultural community, and proactive business engagement,” Drabiuk said. He added that the planned Tisdale SuperCenter will be an advanced fertilizer distribution hub, capable of rapidly loading a significant quantity of blended product in under 8 minutes. Like other planned Genesis Fertilizers SuperCenters, the Tisdale centre will also employ cutting-edge technologies, including automation, to minimize loading and unloading times. An indoor loading facility is also being planned to ensure product quality even in the most extreme weather conditions.

Brett Casavant, CEO of C-Merak, believes in the importance of bringing new projects to Tisdale.

“Our team is excited to work with Invest Tisdale and Genesis Fertilizers. The Genesis Fertilizers project is a natural fit for the agriculture park and will help to support expanded investment into road, rail, and utility infrastructure.”

Genesis Fertilizers said it plans to host an open house in Tisdale following the 2023 harvest season, providing farmers an opportunity to engage with Genesis Fertilizers’ leadership team and agri-business experts, to deepen their understanding of the project.
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By Nicole Goldsworthy, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, SASKTODAY.CA