Peat moss harvesting could occur as close as 15 kilometres from Air Ronge. (Lambert Peat Moss Inc.)

By Derek Cornet

resource extraction

Peat moss harvesting near La Ronge could start in 2022

Sep 15, 2020 | 5:04 PM

If all goes as planned, Lambert Peat Moss Inc. will begin developing land 15 kilometres south of Air Ronge in 2021 with harvesting activities starting in 2022.

“When the project is up and running, its expected there will be 25 positions open with the project, as well it’s likely to generate work for contractors such as transportation and specialized trade workers,” Lambert Acting-Consultant Janna Foster-Willfong said. “Lambert Peat is a peat-harvesting company that has been in operation since 1928 and they are based in Quebec. This would be their first project in Saskatchewan.”

On Sept. 22, interested members of the public are invited to participate in an online community engagement meeting between 7 and 9 p.m. It will cover the ongoing environment impact statement (EIS), as well as harvesting processes, restoration and acclamation, project locations, what’s been done so far, what’s been found in studies and modelling that has been completed to date, and what the next steps will be for the project.

Foster-Willfong explained the EIS will likely be submitted to the provincial government in November, before it’s released to the public, along with technical review comments, for a 30-day public review period.

“As well, we would be sending out the technical review comments and the EIS through our consultation with Indigenous communities,” Foster-Willfong said. “There is a 30-day period for comments to be received and then Lambert needs to demonstrate how comments that have been received through all consultation and engagement activities have been considered in the project.”

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If peat moss harvesting goes ahead, she mentioned it will begin in Cluster 3 covering 557 hectares of land and consisting of five potential harvesting areas. The land runs alongside Highway 2 and is near the Napatak subdivision.

Other locations include Cluster 4 about 34 kilometres southwest of La Ronge and includes six potential harvesting areas with a development area of 342 hectares. Cluster 10 is 43 kilometres south of La Ronge, has four potential harvestable areas and has a development area of 381 hectares. Cluster 11 is located 62 kilometres southeast of La Ronge, has two potential areas and covers 542 hectares. In total, the proposed harvesting area is 2,619 hectares.

In a letter sent to tri-community residents two weeks ago, the company noted the project has a timeline of 100 years from start to finish.

If anyone is interested in registering for Lambert’s online community engagement meeting, they can do so here at the bottom of the web page. A first and last name, as well as valid email address are required.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno