Mr. Speaker, on Friday the town of Hay River celebrated the opening of a new, federally certified egg-grading station for the Northwest Territories.
The event marked a new era for egg production in the NWT. The new state-of-the-art facility is the final piece of the puzzle that the NWT needed to get back into the regulated egg marketing industry.
The ability to complete grading will allow us to put NWT eggs in NWT stores, but more importantly, from an economic point of view, sell NWT eggs into the full wholesale, retail and food service sectors in the South.
Mr. Speaker, I have to acknowledge the work of my predecessor, and now Premier, Honourable Bob McLeod on this initiative.
His early vision and leadership, the commitment and partnership of the NWT Egg Marketing Board and our government’s own work and financial investment have come together to reposition our territory and the town of Hay River to benefit from the National Regulated Egg Marketing Program and the opportunities it opens for us.
Much has been said about regulated egg marketing over the years, but the one consistent message heard throughout Canada’s agriculture sector is that the program provides for a reliable and sustainable economic base to build our agriculture industry on.
Selling our own eggs diversifies the economy, enhances employment opportunities, attracts new capital investment in the territory, and generates new markets for made-in-the-NWT products. We knew this when we started this process in 2009, and our work is paying off. In 2009 the NWT’s egg quota was going unused. Today almost the entire quota is placed into production. That is almost three million dozen eggs serving the table market in the NWT and the South.
The new egg grading station represents new capital investment in Hay River, 20 new jobs for local residents, and the launch of a nearly $7 million industry in our agricultural sector.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the NWT Egg Marketing Board. Under Jackie Milne’s capable leadership, they have successfully guided and revitalized the egg marketing industry in Hay River.
I would like to recognize, also, the support of Hay River MLAs Mrs. Jane Groenewegen and Mr. Robert Bouchard, and MLA for Deh Cho Mr. Michael Nadli in this initiative.
Finally, I would like to congratulate John Penner, Bruce Ramage and the Wallingtons – Glen, Mike and Kevin. They took an idea and transformed it into solid business plans. They identified and supplied market demand. Above all, they were prepared to take risks.
Their energy embodies the resilient entrepreneurial spirit that is the driving force behind our northern economy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Premier McLeod.
