Northumberland-Quinte West could be home of new hemp manufacturer: Rinaldi

Northumberland-Quinte West could be home of new hemp manufacturer:
Rinaldi

By Valerie MacDonald

Northumberland Today – Cobourg, Ontario, Canada

January 21, 2009

A British investment in new Ontario technology to transform a unique
type of hemp into a product that could be used in the construction or
automotive industry, green fuel or for other uses, could result in a
manufacturing plant in this area, says this riding’s MPP.

The hemp product “has got various uses in various forms,”
Northumberland- Quinte West MPP Lou Rinaldi said in an exclusive
interview about the high-profile project.

“I hope the plant is here,” he p>It could initially mean 50 to 100
jobs, but it will also have far-reaching ramifications involving
Ontario’s agriculture industry.

“It’s fairly leading-edge technology,” Mr. Rinaldi added.

The announcement of British investors backing the Ontario-based
technology — developed by a Sterling-area scientist with whom Mr.
Rinaldi has worked for over a decade — was scheduled to be made
formally this morning by Research and Innovation Minister John
Wilkinson in downtown Toronto’s distillery district.

After this private investment in the project, the next step will be to
approach various levels of government in commercializing the product,
Mr. Rinaldi suggested. The British investors are already involved in
the product’s development as fuel in the U. K., he said.

Some suggested locations for a greenfield plant or conversion of an
existing facility have included the closed Kraft facility on William
Street in Cobourg, and possibilities are being researched in the
Quinte area, both within Mr. Rinaldi’s riding.

“They haven’t (nailed) down the area (for the plant) yet,” he added.

Ontario’s soil, temperature and overall environment are ideal for
growing this unique type of hemp, expanding the crops provincial
farmers can grow commercially.

The British investment is building on the technological foundation
discovered in this riding in order to make it a reality, Mr. Rinaldi
said.

More details about the project were to be unveiled at today’s formal
announcement, but Mr. Rinaldi said the project “achieves a lot of
goals in today’s society,” from providing employment and developing
leading-edge technology to creating an environment-friendly renewable
resource.

Article ID# 1397087

Copyright (c) 2009 Sun Media

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