| Opposition to Winnipeg Hog Plant Gains Momentum | 01 May 06 |
 A business group, a Concerned Citizens Alliance, and a coalition of family farm advocates, animal welfare experts and environmentalists have captured local media attention, held open houses, and spurred a second Winnipeg city council vote on the proposed OlyWest hog plant project. All are opposed to hog plant, planned for the St. Boniface Industrial Park in Winnipeg.The OlyOpp group is businesses in the area who fear loss of business over potential environmental contamination. They have vowed to back anti-pig candidates in the next civic election - scheduled for fall 2006 - to prevent the hog processing and rendering facility from setting up shop. Manitoba Eco-Network, National Farmers Union, and the Winnipeg Humane Society organized an April 20th open house to discuss the project and implications of an increase in intensive livestock operations that could result from the OlyWest plant. The OlyWest project is a proposed by three of the biggest pork processors and producers in Canada. The 300,000-square-foot OlyWest plant would process 2.25 million hogs per year and need about 1,100 workers. Both the City of Winnipeg and the Provincial Government are backing the project with financial incentives. The Manitoba Clean Environment Commission hearings into the proposed plant won't begin until well into 2007. This may mean that the hearings will coincide with a provincial election expected spring, 2007. View March & April 2006 coverage of the OlyWest hog plant from Manitoba media (DOC) Visit the OlyWest Proposal Envrionmental Assessment website for upcoming public meetings Visit Stop the Stink Sources: Winnipeg Free Press, Farmers Independent Weekly, Brandon Sun |
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