Raitt Opens Canada’s Largest Ethanol Production Plant

September 09, 2009

JOHNSTOWN, ONTARIO. Today, Minister of Natural Resources and Member of Parliament for Halton Lisa Raitt attended the grand opening of the GreenField Ethanol plant in Johnstown, Ontario, which is expected to produce up to 200 million litres of ethanol each year.
 
"Ethanol is clean, efficient and renewable, making it an important alternative fuel option," said Natural Resources Minister Lisa Raitt. "The Government of Canada's investment of up to $117.5 million in this facility demonstrates our government’s commitment to clean energy.”
 
GreenField Ethanol is Canada's leading ethanol producer, and the Johnstown facility, the largest of its kind in Canada, will give a boost to farmers across Ontario and grow the economy by more than $200 million, directly benefiting farmers that produce the corn needed to create ethanol.
 
“Our investment in this technology will give a boost to Ontario’s corn farmers,” continued Raitt. “This plant will create economic opportunities while creating a healthier environment for all Canadians."
 
Ethanol is commercially produced from renewable agriculture crops such as surplus corn and has a strong future in Canada. In fact, the federal government has mandated gasoline to contain an average of five per cent ethanol by 2010.
 
This is significant, because the National Resources Canada's GH Genius model shows that corn ethanol, when blended with gasoline for transportation fuel, reduces greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) by up to 40 per cent compared to gasoline. The gasoline shift in 2010 will be equivalent to removing one million cars from Canada's roads every year.