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Taking care of business
News from the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
October 27, 2010 |
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From the general manager
A bio-what? It's the focus of a lot of attention in Sarnia-Lambton and a big part of the community's economic strategy, but what exactly does "bio" mean? "Bio" (from the Greek word bios) means life. Simply put, bio-based industries use feed stocks from living renewable sources (such as forestry and agricultural crop by-products and animal waste) to manufacture value-added chemicals; replacing or augmenting those made from fossil fuels.
BioteCanada estimates the Canadian bioeconomy is worth $80 billion and makes up over six percent of Canada's gross domestic product.
The ethanol produced at Suncor's St. Clair Ethanol plant in St. Clair Township is a good example of a bioproduct. The facility uses a type of livestock feed corn as its raw material, from which it produces ethanol and, as a by-product, high-grade animal feed.
Some readers may be sitting closer to bio-based materials than they know; as every seat cushion in every 2010 Ford vehicle is made with soya foam. (Over ten percent of Ontario's soybean acreage is located in Lambton County.)
If bioproducts are beginning to augment or replace those made from fossil fuels how does this bode for Sarnia-Lambton, a global oil refining and petrochemical centre? Far from being a competitor of our petrochemical industries, bioproducts are a perfect fit that make a lot of sense for this area.
In fact, it makes so much sense that the federal and provincial governments chose Sarnia-Lambton as the location for Canada's Bioindustrial Innovation Centre (which is located at the The Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus).
Everything we have here in Sarnia-Lambton to service our large petrochemical and refining sector (including the industries themselves) help create a stable foundation for new bio-based manufacturing in our area.
Chemical companies world-wide are investing in biotechnology. LANXESS, which manufactures synthetic rubber in Sarnia-Lambton, recently invested $10 million in biobutanol firm Gevo, to jointly develop and produce renewable-based isobutene, a key ingredient in the manufacturing of butyl rubber.
Petrochemical/refining and agricultural are Sarnia-Lambton's top two economic drivers, and they are merging today in ways that are bringing new industries and interest to our innovative community.
 George Mallay
General Manager
Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
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Happening right now in Sarnia-Lambton's bio sector
- Woodland Fuels - expected to construct biomass pilot plant at the Bioindustrial Innovation Centre in Sarnia
- Methes Energy - biodiesel from waste vegetable oil, cooking oil, and animal fats under construction in St. Clair Township
- St. Clair Ethanol Plant - producing over 193 million litres of ethanol annually in St. Clair Township
- Bioindustrial Innovation Centre conducting agricultural residuals study for Ontario Power Generation
- Azule Fuel - working toward startup of first market development pilot plant at LANXESS former pilot plant
 Download or view our brochure, "Sarnia-Lambton - Canada's Bioindustrial Innovation Centre", here. (PDF document, 5 MB)
For more information on Canada's bioproducts sector click here. |
 | | Fraser Parry looks over business cards of some of the companies he has assisted |
Do you own your business or does your business own you?
If you are stressing out about running your business, just starting out, or wanting to grow, Fraser Parry and the Business Enterprise Centre of Sarnia-Lambton can help you.
It's totally free of charge and completely confidential.
Fraser can help with start up plans, expansion strategies, market research, tax and WSIB regulations, and much more. In his ten years as a business councillor with the economic development office, Fraser has discussed a myriad of business concepts. He has helped with 441 small business start ups in Sarnia-Lambton, adding an impressive 783 jobs to the local economy.
When you meet with Fraser you can tell right away that he understands the unique challenges of owning and running a business. A business owner himself for many years, he has a knack for taking complicated issues and boiling them down into easy to understand bites. His enthusiasm for his work is apparent, and he admits to actually enjoying analyzing financial records!
This experienced business man notes, however, that an important part of his job is helping people take a realistic in-depth look at their business ideas and the financial and emotional investment required to start a business. Clients learn that preparing for success occasionally includes the decision not to pursue a flawed or unrealistic business plan; averting disastrous results, both financially and emotionally.
If you would like to talk with Fraser about your small business or your small business ideas, give him a call at 519-332-1820.
The Business Enterprise Centre, with resource library, computers, free internet access, take-home reference materials, and information on business regulations, is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Feel free to drop in and look around. (On Friday, October 29, we'll be operating from our new location at The Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus. Click here for a map and directions.)
You will find a lot of useful small business information on the Economic Partnership's website by clicking here. It includes a search-able list of business assistance programs for small and large business. |
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Local group forming for-profit energy co-op
Local citizens are wasting no time in taking advantage of Ontario's new initiative encouraging for-profit energy co-ops.
There is money to be made from renewable energy and, through a new Ontario government initiative encouraging for-profit co-ops, Sarnia-Lambton citizens are planning to benefit.
Introduced to Sarnia-Lambton at an information session held at Lambton College in June of this year, the opportunity quickly caught the attention of a number of local citizens, who are planning a co-op, to be called the Bluewater Renewable Energy Co-operative, to create a solar rooftop power generation facility in Sarnia-Lambton. While the co-op will be the major owner of the facility, operations will be handled by a profession energy company.
Under new Ontario regulations, for-profit co-ops can own power projects and benefit from the province's generous payment schedule for sustainably generated electricity. A provincial grant of up to $200,000 (depending on the size of the project) is available to each co-op. The co-op must own 51% of the power project to receive funding.
The co-op will be based on "one membership one vote", with additional investment shares also available to members. The co-op board of directors will determine the share investment; typically between $200 - $1,000. Both the membership share and investment shares will generate returns.
Currently a working committee, the Sarnia-Lambton group will soon be incorporating as a co-operative and will be approaching the Ontario government with an application for a 20 year contract to supply electricity to the provincial grid. They hope to have the project up and running by Spring 2011.
The group is open to anyone wishing to learn more about or participate in the Bluewater Renewable Energy Co-op. The next meeting of the working group is 5 p.m., November 04, 2010, at the Economic Partnership office. Call Denis VanDecker at 519-466-3341 or visit www.bluewaterrec.com for more information.
Opportunities also exist for farmers join together to form co-ops and partner with energy companies on wind turbine projects.
For more information on community power projects click here.
To learn more about the Ontario Power Authority's Feed In Tariffs (FIT) for homeowners, small businesses and others, click here.
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Free seminars
Sarnia-Lambton Food Summit
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sat., November 20, 2010
Join Sarnia-Lambton's food revolution! Keynote speaker Gord Hume, author of "The Local Food Revolution". Share ideas, discuss local strategies. Click here for more information.
HST Seminar
1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Wed., November 24, 2010
Representatives from the Canada Revenue Agency will be on hand to discuss the Harmonized Sales Tax and small business and answer your questions. Click here for more details. |
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We're moving!
On October 29, 2010, the Economic Partnership and the Business Enterprise Centre are moving to
The Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus
Building 1050, Suite 100
1086 Modeland Road
Sarnia ON Canada N7S 6L2
Click here for a map of our new location. |
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 Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership
The Research Park, Sarnia-Lambton Campus
Building 1050, Suite 100
1086 Modeland Road
Sarnia ON Canada N7S 6L2
Telephone 519-332-1820 / (in N.A.) 800-972-7642
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