Alberta’s hemp industry receives financial support

Apr 25, 2022

Two industry businesses will receive $900,000 in grants

By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com

Two levels of government are working together to support Alberta’s hemp sector.

Through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the federal and provincial governments are investing a total of $900,000 into two processing facilities.

INCA Renewtech, which uses hemp to create multiple products, is receiving $400,000 to build a new $72-million hemp processing facility in Vegreville, Alta.

The new plant is expected to be operational by 2024 and create up to 100 jobs by 2026.

The new facility will purchase about 54,000 tonnes of hemp biomass per year and transform the fibre into natural fibre composites in Alberta for further manufacturing.

Those will be converted into multiple products, said David Saltman, CEO of INCA Renewtech.

“We’ll turn this renewable resource into biopanels for the RV industry, bioplastics for the automotive industry and bioBalsa for the wind energy,” he said on April 21, adding Winnebago and Toyota are commercialization partners with the company.

The second grant is going to Blue Sky Hemp Ventures.

The company will receive a $500,000 grant to advance a proposed $75-million hemp food processing location in Alberta.

This undertaking will allow Blue Sky to increase production of cold pressed purified hemp seed oil for use in cosmetic and food applications, and to scale up production of a hemp protein concentrate.

It’s estimated the facility will be able to process 35,000 tonnes of hemp grain per year, create more than 90 jobs and add $45 million of annual farm revenue from hemp grain.

“We will work with INCA to utilize the whole crop and leave absolutely nothing to waste,” Andrew Potter, CEO of Blue Sky Hemp Ventures, said on April 21. “This whole plant utilization approach allows both companies to maximize value for farmers and sequester large amounts of (carbon).”

Video: Why Port Infrastructure is Key to Growing Canada's Farms and Economy

Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) knows that strong, modern port infrastructure is vital to the success of Canada’s agriculture. When our ports grow, Ontario grain farmers and Canadian farms grow too—and when we grow, Canada grows.

In this video, we highlight the importance of investing in port infrastructure and how these investments are key to growing Ontario agriculture and supporting global trade. The footage showcases the strength of both Ontario’s farming landscapes and vital port operations, including some key visuals from HOPA Ports, which we are grateful to use in this project.

Ontario’s grain farmers rely on efficient, sustainable ports and seaway systems to move grain to markets around the world. Port investments are crucial to increasing market access, driving economic growth, and ensuring food security for all Canadians.

Why Port Infrastructure Matters:

Investing in Ports = Investing in Farms: Modernized ports support the export of Canadian grain, driving growth in agriculture.

Sustainable Growth: Learn how stronger ports reduce environmental impact while boosting economic stability.

Global Trade Opportunities: Improved port and seaway systems help farmers access new global markets for their grain.

Stronger Communities: Investment in ports means more stable jobs and economic growth for rural communities across Ontario and Canada.

We are proud to support the ongoing investment in port infrastructure and to shine a light on its vital role in feeding the world and securing a prosperous future for Canadian agriculture.

Special thanks to HOPA Ports for providing some of the stunning port footage featured in this video.