Eco-industrial zone introduced in Ritchot

The RM of Ritchot has introduced an eco-industrial zone for its development plan. The zone will be an industrial park where ecologically and environmentally responsible businesses will be set up.

“Let’s just say that a business handles the destruction of plastic bottles. Then that would be one business. The business right beside them would reuse the waste of these plastic bottles and (it) would produce park benches with them or other recyclable products. And then beside them would be the company that does the wholesaling and sells them and ships them out. Right there there’s input, processing, sales that are complementary to one another,” said CAO Mitch Duval.

Duval said the RM is trying to be proactive in preparing for when a business comes to it and asks for land that would fit the eco-industrial zone. While there is no land that has received the eco-industrial designation as of yet, as it has to pass second and third reading first, there is land that is designated as environmental sensitive centres. This land is located in Ste Agathe, St Adolphe, Grand Pointe, and Ile des Chenes.

“Because we know that agricultural lands are really sensitive in the Red River Valley. If we take them out of production, we have to make sure that the use is proper, and we think that introducing an eco-industrial zone is favourable,’ said Duval.

Duval said there have been businesses that approached the RM in the past that would fit an eco-industrial zone.

“I’m not going to go into the specifics of it, but there’s always people kicking tires. Until we have a car to kick the tires, it’s always hard to talk seriously.”

On June 4 the RM had an open house to introduce the eco-industrial zone and on Aug. 21 the RM will host a public hearing and give second and third reading.