Canola climbs
Headline heavy
Escaping market uncertainty could mean production woes » PG 27
Political missteps, trade barriers abound for pulses » PG 30
SERVING MANITOBA FARMERS SINCE 1925 | Vol. 76, No. 11 | $1.75
March 15, 2018
manitobacooperator.ca
FALLING NUMBER:
Canola council reviewing priorities
More wooden grain elevators bite the dust in Manitoba
Richardson withdrawal prompts soul-searching session at AGM
Just 133 wooden country elevators remain in Manitoba, says a Manitoba historian who also estimates about 40 per cent of these are now abandoned
BY ALLAN DAWSON Co-operator staff/Indian Wells, Calif.
O
utside the Canola Council of Canada’s annual business meeting March 8 there were palm tress, cacti and deep-blue Kodachrome skies offering a respite from Western Canada’s cold and snow. But inside was an elephant, acknowledged, but never named, called Richardson International.
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BY LORRAINE STEVENSON Co-operator staff
R
ural Manitoba lost one more wooden grain elevator last week with the demolition of a United Grain Growers site at Birch River. The building was owned by the RM of Mountain which took possession of it in a tax sale after its private owner passed away. Equipment operators rolled in March 5 after council deliberated on what to do with the huge, dilapidated wooden structure. This wasn’t an easy choice to make, but the condition of the site had become too much a liability for the municipality, said Mountain’s chief administrative officer. “There was some concern of it being a fire hazard right in the middle of town,” said Paige Larocque. “We’ve had a few incidents where someone did try to light it on fire. Council just wanted to eliminate that risk and that’s why it decided to get rid of it. “It was a very difficult decision,” she added. “I know a lot of people in town feel it’s a landmark.” Birch River’s elevator is just the most recent to come down. Since last May Manitoba has lost another half-dozen elevators. A former Manitoba Pool Elevator at Clanwilliam, also unused, was demolished last month. Last April a Paterson elevator at Morris came down and another Paterson site was demolished at Meadows in July. In May the Manitoba Pool Elevator See ELEVATORS on page 6 »
A former United Grain Growers elevator, believed to have been built around 1950 and considered a local landmark, was demolished at Birch River, Man. last week. PHOTO: PAIGE LAROCQUE
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