The Canadian Western Agribition is less than a week away. It will be a transition year for Canada’s largest livestock show as construction is still underway on the new International Trade Centre at Evraz Place.
The $37 million facility is about half done, but completed portions are ready to host exhibitors and cattle.
“Even half done this building is ten times better than the buildings that it replaced,” Agribition CEO Chris Lane said.
Lane added that the construction is ahead of schedule. A completed exhibit hall connects to an older one, and connects to a brand new wash rack.
The wash rack is essentially a cattle cleaning facility, which Lane said is a much needed addition.
“In a cattle show, and in an animal show you have to make sure the animals are as pretty as they can be. So we have a fully functional wash rack, which will be a big deal for us,” he explained.
Once complete, the International Trade Centre will be just shy of 150,000 square feet. Additionally, all of the buildings at Evraz Place, including the Brandt Centre, will be interconnected.
Funding partners include the City of Regina, province, federal government, Regina Hotel Association, and Agribtion.
Mayor Michael Fougere is hopeful that once complete, the building will become a major draw for other events, like trade shows.
“It is a multi-purpose facility by definition. The walls can be moved around for different events, so it’s adaptability is very important,” he said.
The mayor added that Agribition usually contributes $130 million to the local economy, making the facility a very worthwhile investment.
As for other investment, Agriculture Minister Lyle Stewart said Agribition’s impact is difficult to measure, due to the sheer amount of business connections made at the five day show.
“Agribition alone generated $56 million in revenue at the show, and the spin-off that takes place in agriculture and agri-business is
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