Dave MacKenzie, MP - Oxford and Chair of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, today made the following statement in the House of Commons regarding the Sand Plains Development Fund.
“Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to highlight the great successes of the Sand Plains Development Fund in my riding of Oxford and across South-Western Ontario. The Sand Plains Development Fund was created by Canada's current government in August 2008, with a commitment of $15 million to the region. Since its formation, there have been 202 full-time jobs created, 54 part-time jobs created, 119 seasonal jobs and 256 jobs sustained in the South-Western Ontario area.

“More specifically, I would like to talk about the biomass project of Canadian Biofuel in my riding of Oxford. It was partially funded through the Sand Plains development fund. The project on a former Cargill grain elevator and feed mill facility will now produce roughly 1,500 tonnes of biomass per month. Low in greenhouse gas emissions, it can be used to heat homes and even supplement coal in generating electricity. Initially waste wood would be used to make the biomass fuel. However, the company plans to establish a local supply chain of raw materials by encouraging local farmers to grow miscanthus grass.”