Above: Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson, Jennifer Saunders-Blades, Senior Laboratory Analyst and Theresa Liddell providing a tour of Champion Petfoods BAFRINO Centre tuesday morning. – Lucie Roy Photo
by Lucie Roy
Morinville News Correspondent
Municipal Affairs Minister Shaye Anderson met with Champion Petfoods on Wednesday morning.
Theresa Liddell Animal Nutrition & Research Specialist and Jennifer Saunders-Blades, Senior Laboratory Analyst provided a quick overview of the BAFRINO Research and Innovation Centre.
The Minister toured the facility along with Kitchen Manager Jonathan Ellison, and Leigh Newton, Manager Business Development.
Minister Anderson said he was in Morinville to see how grants are being used so he can talk about it in government.
“We don’t always get to see that,” Anderson said. “We see it on a sheet of paper. I am a very visual guy, so it is nice to go and actually talk to the people that are using it.”
The Minister spoke briefly that the former Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency supported the building of the research and innovation centre, as well the Alberta government assisted with Champions expansion into Parkland County through monies for infrastructure and transportation.
Champion Petfoods President and CEO Frank Burdzy said he was pleased to welcome Minister Anderson to Champion’s kitchens.
“The Alberta Government has worked with Champion in many ways over the years to help us advance our Biologically Appropriate foods, our fresh meat inclusions, and our food safety initiatives,” Burdzy said. “This collaborative relationship has helped us grow to serve and be trusted by pet lovers in over 80 countries and counting, from right here in Alberta. We look forward to continuing this relationship with our expansion in Parkland County and to include more Fresh Regional Ingredients, furthering our investment in Alberta Agriculture and the Alberta economy.”
Above: Claude Valcourt, Director of Public Works and Councillor Stephen Dafoe stand by two pieces of equipment obtained by the Town of Morinville through Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) Allocations.
Minister Anderson was to meet representatives from Council and Public Works earlier in the morning to look at the Town of Morinville’s 2016 Tandem International 7400 snow and gravel truck and the 2017 CAT 140 M model grader. Both items were bought with Municipal Sustainability Initiative funding and are valued at approximately a half million dollars.
Claude Valcourt, Director of Public Works said other equipment was also obtained from the same grant in the previous years.
The display was coordinated at the Town of Morinville Public Works for Anderson’s visit. Unfortunately, travel conditions did not let him make it to the Public Works appointment in time.
The Minister also visited Westlock to meet with municipal councillors and town managers from the region.
