Agriculture

Crop Cultivation
Agricultural production and growing world markets continue to stand as two of the primary forces driving the regional economy. The development of biotechnology enhanced seeds/chemicals and more efficient farming practices present opportunities for processing of specialty crops for region and export markets. Other dry land farming crops such as peas, lentils and herbs may lead to additional value added business ventures. In Census Division No. 7, the bulk of the 2,478 area farms continue to produce winter, spring wheat and durum wheat, as well as barley, oats, rye, flax, peas, lentils, canary seed, chick peas and canola. Although commodity prices for traditional crops fluctuate, there is good potential for value added opportunities.

Livestock
Livestock is important to the REDA area. Moose Jaw is the largest distribution centre for livestock in Saskatchewan as approximately 218,234 head of cattle are raised annually in the Census Division No. 7 with many being finished at feedlots within the Moose Jaw district. The meat-processing plants within Moose Jaw is an important employers in the REDA.

Service Centre
Moose Jaw is a regional and provincial service centre to the agricultural community. Major agricultural based organizations within the Moose Jaw REDA include:

• Acklands - Grainger Inc.
• Cargill Limited
• Heartland Agro Services Ltd.
• Jameson Gilroy & B & L Livestock Ltd.
• Parrish and Heimbecker
• Pioneer
• Prairie Berries
• Viterra
• Simpson Seeds Inc.
• Koch Nitrogen Fertilizer Holding, Inc.
• South Country Equipment Ltd.
• Young's Equipment Inc.

Business Training

SIAST Palliser Campus employs over 289 people with all SIAST campuses having an annual economic impact of approximately $393 million on the provincial economy. In addition to its traditional education role and importance as a major institutional employer, SIAST serves the business community through special education and research initiatives. There is a Cooperative Education program through which business and technology students gain on-site experience at area businesses and industries; this very successful program provides benefits to the entire region.

Film Sector

During the past few years, a number of film productions including feature films, made for television features, documentaries, and television series selected Moose Jaw as their filming location. Moose Jaw benefits from the Saskatchewan Film Tax Credit Program, which offers a 45% rebate on all approved labour up to a maximum of 25% of the total eligible production labour cost.  There is an additional 5% credit to hire Saskatchewan crew members and technicians in six of the ten positions specified by Saskfilm. This program also offers a 5% bonus for productions filmed beyond 40 miles outside of Regina or Saskatoon.

The following list highlights productions that have taken place in Moose Jaw region:

Some of the key assets for Film Production in the Moose Jaw region:

• 55% Saskatchewan Film Tax Credit
• Canada Saskatchewan Production Studio located 45 minutes east of Moose Jaw
• Excellent variety of locations including early 1900's architecture
• Good pool of performers from professional level actors, musicians, dances and arts groups
• Natural features including Wakamow Valley, Buffalo Pound Lake, Old Wives area, Claybank, and Crescent Park
• Man-made features including old style architecture, Sukanen Ship Pioneer Village and Museum, Western Development Museum, (including antique vehicle collection), Tunnels of Moose Jaw, heritage homes, numerous small towns in the area, and the air base.

More information can be found in our Film brochure or by contacting SaskFilm.

Financial Services

The City of Moose Jaw possesses a developed network of financial services for business and personal needs. Services range from personal brokerage and investment to commercial financial resources for businesses and agriculturally based operations in the region.  Services are available from qualified professionals at the following agencies:

• Anderson DW Consulting Group Inc.
• Athabasca Financial
• BMO Bank of Montreal
• BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc.
• Bank of Nova Scotia
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC)
• Conexus Credit Union
• DNL Creative Resources
• Edward Jones
• Farm Credit Canada
• Gold Key Investments Inc.
• Golden Opportunities Funds Inc.
• Great West Life Assurance Company
• Heartland Financial Group
• Henderson Insurance Inc.
• Integrated Financial Services CFDA
• Investors Group Financial Services
• Kosior Wealth Strategists
• Leipert Financial Group
• Partners in Planning Financial Services Ltd.
• RBC Dominion Securities Inc.
• RBC Investments
• Rice Financial Group Inc.
• Royal Bank of Canada
• Saskatchewan Entrepreneurial Fund
• Scotia Bank
• South Central Community Futures Development Corporation
• Steve Gould CFP CIM FMA FCSI
• TD Canada Trust
• TD Bank Financial Group
• Wellington West Capital Inc.

Food Processing

Intensified cropping and livestock production in the Moose Jaw REDA region provides many opportunities for agri-processing related development. Livestock finishing facilities and meat packing plants have not only provided an economic boost to the region, but also ensure that raw agricultural product produced within the region can continue to bring profit to the area even after the initial harvest or round up.

Some of the food processing facilities within the Moose Jaw Region include:

• Artemia Canada
• Blue Hills Processors Ltd.
• BGL - Briercrest Grain Ltd.
• XL Foods
• Fellinger & Sons Meats
• Hub Meat Market
• Quantum Processing Ltd.
• Prairie Berries
• Young Seeds
• Simpsons Seeds Inc.

Manufacturing

Moose Jaw’s diverse industry includes the production of transportation plastic containers, textiles, and jewellery production. Some of the prominent industrial companies in the Moose Jaw region include:

• Best Buildings
• Canaday’s Apparel Ltd.
• CJay Trailers
• CTK Plastics
• Doepker Industries Inc.
• DorLite Manufacturing Ltd.
• Fifth Avenue Collection
• General Cable
• Haukaas Manufacturing Ltd.
• Kathy’s Custom Stitchery Ltd.
• Moose Jaw Refinery
• Potters Canada
• RL Cushing Millwork Co. Ltd.
• Safety Seven Manufacturing
• Signature Truss
• Texas Refinery Corp. of Canada Ltd.
• Trans-Canada Pipe Lines
• Western Machine & Welding

Military

15 Wing Moose Jaw (formerly CFB Moose Jaw), home of the Snow Birds for several decades has been the number one employer in the Moose Jaw region. Restructuring by the National Defence Department has changed employment at the base to its present level of approximately 1,000 personnel.. Although staffing and infrastructure has been streamlined, the viability of the base has been strongly entrenched with the adoption of the NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) program. Bombardier Aerospace is the main contractor for the NFTC program.  Sub-contractors include ATCO Frontec, Aramark, Serco, and CAE.  The retooling of the base and the adoption of the $2.85 billion -20 year training program will ensure that 15 Wing will continue to be an important economic and social component within the Moose Jaw REDA.  For more detailed information about 15 Wing Moose Jaw, please refer to Military Base under Community Information.

Mining & Heavy Industry

There are four large industrial facilities in the Moose Jaw Region. Saskatchewan Minerals operates a facility producing sodium sulphate in Chaplin. Three companies near Belle Plaine are Mosaic Company, Canadian Salt Company, and Yara Belle Plaine Inc. (one of North America's leading producers of nitrogen fertilizers). Over half the employees working at the Belle Plaine industrial facility, 23 kilometres from the city, reside in Moose Jaw.  Saskatchewan has the largest concentration of potash reserves in the world, and Mosaic Company is one of the world's largest producers of potash and phosphate.

Oil & Gas

Saskatchewan is the third highest natural gas producing province.  Over 19,000 gas wells were drilled in 2006 with recoverable reserves of 2.8 trillion cubic feet.  Saskatchewan is now the second largest oil producer in Canada after Alberta.  The province produces approximately 17 percent of total Canadian oil production.

Moose Jaw has a number of companies test drilling for potential gas deposits including.  Moose Jaw Refinery is the region's major business in this industry and manufactures products for heavy oil transported from Alberta and Saskatchewan.  There are also several major pipelines running through the region including major companies such as Plains Marketing Canada, TransCanada, TransGas and Enbridge.  Thses pipelines are used to transport both oil and natural gas to customers in Canada as well as in the United States.

Retail Shopping

The City of Moose Jaw boasts everything from large retailers to unique specialty shops offering an excellent selection to residents of the region. Major shopping facilities include:

• Ashdown’s Furniture & Interiors Ltd.
• Canada Safeway
• Canadian Tire
• Dollarama
• Giant Tiger
• Liquidation World
• Mark's Work Warehouse
• McKarr’s Furniture
• Moose Jaw Co-operative Ltd.
• Payless Shoe Source
• Peavey Mart
• Sears
• Sobey's
• SportChek
• Staples Business Depot
• Supreme Basics
• The Brick
• The Real Canadian Superstore
• Wal-Mart
• Reitman's
• Zellers

Transportation

The transportation networks, which were briefly mentioned in Section 3 under the heading Geography, are major strengths in the Moose Jaw region. Major road and rail networks are easily accessible, and have benefited organizations within the manufacturing and agricultural sectors operating throughout the REDA. In addition to these obvious advantages of an optimal location along a strong and proactive transportation network, organizations have become major components of the economy within the region. Major transportation related companies in the Moose Jaw region include:

• 15 Wing Moose Jaw & NATO Flying Training in Canada
• Canadian National Railway
• Canadian Pacific Railway
• Doepker Industries Inc.
• Fast & Friendly Transportation
• GATX Rail Canada Corporation
• Gibson International Carriers Inc.
• Globexx Logistics Group
• Greyhound Canada
• Hobo Express
• Prairie Schooner Delivery & Moving
• Roberge Transport Inc.
• Rockport Carrier Co. Ltd.
• Triple G Carriers
• Viterra
• Westcan Bulk Transport Ltd.
• Weymor Advantexpress

Tourism

Since the opening of the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa on June 1996, thousands of spa enthusiasts have come to Moose Jaw. In fact, in 2007 alone there were over 120,000 visitors. The spa has significantly influenced the growth of Tourism in the community. The Tunnels of Moose Jaw is a destination tourist attraction showcasing underground tunnels used for prohibited activities in the early 1900's. Historic tours regarding illegal activities are showcased in ‘The Chicago Connection’ and tours reflecting Chinese immigration are featured in the ‘Passage to Fortune’ tour. About 100,000 visitors tour through the tunnels every year. Casino Moose Jaw opened a gaming facility in 2002. The Chaplin Interpretive Centre, which is the western anchor of the Saskatchewan Bird Trail has also been a popular tourist destination, and has attracted more than 25,000 people annually.