Municipal survey shows massive support for uranium facility in Saskatchewan.

In a recent survey to Saskatchewan's municipal levels of government, the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce received an overwhelmingly positive response to the question "would your community be receptive to an added-value uranium facility in your area, such as a refinery or upgrader?" From the responses received, over 95 per cent were highly in favour of such a facility, recognizing the enormous boost such an operation would have for their local economy and for the province as a whole.

The survey, sent out to all First Nations, Tribal Councils, and all levels of municipal governments, from cities to resort villages, asked respondents if their community would be receptive to a uranium facility in their area, and then we asked to provide general comments. Of the handful that replied 'no' or 'not sure' most were from resort villages that would not have the land resources to accommodate such a facility. Not a single respondent rejected the idea on philosophical grounds.

"This has significance from a historical perspective," noted Saskatchewan chamber president Ralph Boychuk. "In the early 1980s, the town of Warman and the province as a whole lost out on a uranium refinery that ultimately went to Blind River, Ontario. Today I am proud to report that the town of Warman is very much in favour of such a facility in their area."

"What we see from these survey results is that Saskatchewan residents see the possibility of this coming to our province again, and this time we want to be on board for an enormous potential investment opportunity such as this."

Saskatchewan is far from alone in this shift in mindset. The global attitude to nuclear energy generation is changing. The nuclear industry is becoming increasingly popular among the global community because it produces no greenhouse gas emissions. And of the alternatives, only nuclear power can provide a steady, reliable supply of power at a low cost.

While there are already over 400 operating nuclear power plants in the world, there are another 90-plus plants currently in their planning stages, with 15 in China alone. Demand at these plants is outstripping world-ready supply, and Saskatchewan people stand to gain. The employment opportunities in mining, refining, and research and development alone are tremendous.

A global shortage of uranium production, coupled with projections of demand escalating due to a global shift toward nuclear energy, means a big boost to mining and, therefore, refining capacity will be needed over the next 10 years.

Demand for a steady supply of new refined uranium will be reliable in the years to come, and we have the opportunity to satisfy that demand. When the next refining facility is needed in Canada, it could be located in Saskatchewan, where the province could offer a natural advantage in transportation and land costs. The process of refining uranium ore into fuel is currently handled at a plant in Blind River, Ontario.

"It is readily apparent that Saskatchewan residents, based on this data, are not prepared to stand on the sidelines again. This is an opportunity that comes along so irregularly that it behooves us to move quickly," Boychuk added.