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In these times, some use it—solar energy—as a major source of power to heat homes and otherwise power utilities in the home. The best time to buy a roof-mounted system that converts its energy to cost-saving electricity is now, say those in the industry.  In the Northeast, solar electric systems generate about 70 percent of their energy for the entire year between April and September, so they need to be operational in March. But it takes several months to design, obtain various approvals and install them.  “So the best time to start thinking about solar, getting quotes to make a decision so we can get a contract in place, obtain permits, secure materials, get the system inspected, permitted and turned on by a utility company, is this fall,” said Peter Kronau, senior project manager at Queensbury-based Apex Solar.  “I always tell residents and business owners, ‘It’s not when you go solar, it’s that you go solar’,” he said. “The sun is always coming up and going down. Time is always moving. There is a ‘Goldilocks’ window to have a solar system installed, commissioned and turned on to maximize the benefit from day one. If you miss that window you’re playing catch-up until the system has been operational for 365 days because of how the offset works with net metering and the utility company.”  From spring to early fall, systems produce more energy than a home or business needs. With net metering, the utility acts as a virtual battery bank storing up kilowatt credits on your account. By late fall, when a system produces less than a home or business is consuming, you draw from those credits.  “As you go through winter, surplus kilowatt hours are allocated to the balance of usage in a month and offsets the whole bill,” Kronau said.  That’s why it makes sense, to maximize a system’s effectiveness and achieve full savings next winter, to start shopping now.  And going solar has never been more attractive as America’s unquenchable thirst for electricity keeps escalating. Nationwide electric usage is on an upward trajectory, driven by everything from millions of small cell-phone chargers to new electric vehicles hitting the road every day.  Rick Irizarry is director of sales and business development for SunPower by New York State Solar Farm. The Ulster County-based firm, with offices in Glens Falls, has installed more than 8,000 systems in a service area stretching from the lower Hudson Valley to Lake George.  “The only thing that’s gone up higher than interest rates is electricity,” Irizarry said. “Even with higher interest rates we’re still showing customers significant savings on their electric bills.”  Solar really took off around 2005, experts say. Back then, however, systems cost double what they are now and were quite often purchased by people who could afford them for their environmental benefits. During the past decade as appliances became more energy efficient, many people installed electric heating and cooling systems, water heaters and boilers and now electric cars.  But as usage has risen, the price of solar systems has gone down thanks to a 30 percent federal tax credit and a state tax credit up to $5,000. In addition, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority has incentive programs for both residential and commercial users.  So a typical 10 kilowatt hour system priced at $33,000 might only cost $17,000. New York already has the 10th highest domestic electricity costs, paying 43 percent more than the national average and utility rates keep rising.  When purchasing a solar electric system, customers lock into a set price for 25 years. Even if financed, monthly payments are still less than what they’d be paying a utility for electricity.  “That’s not going to change whereas electric rates are going up at a ridiculous rate every year,” Irizarry said. “People are looking for long-term protection and getting away from utility companies. If they can do it without taking any money out of their pocket, just swapping one bill for a lower bill, once they understand that, it’s like how fast can I get the solar panels on my roof?”  “Then on top of the savings you have the impact you’re making on the environment and local economy by creating jobs, which give people a paycheck and they’re helping paying taxes,” he said. “There’s a larger component to it.”  The process of buying a system is quite straightforward.  “We start out with a copy of your electric bill for the past year, which kind of gives us a base line of your usage,” Irizarry said. “Next a consultant does a discovery call with the home owner asking how long you’ve lived there, and do you expect to make any changes that would drastically increase your electric usage.”  “Are you planning to add a pool or heat pump? Are you switching from fossil fuel to an electric device to heat and cool your home, or buying an electric vehicle? We’re looking at where they’re going. Our goal is to get as close to 100 percent of their electric usage, either currently or in the future, as possible.”  As demand for electricity has grown, the average size of solar electric systems has increased, too. In 2016, most Apex Solar installations were nine kilowatt hours. Now the average size is 12 kilowatt hours, priced at about $23,500 after state and federal incentives. “One thing about solar is you don’t have finite electrical usage, but you do have finite space,” Kronau said. “Especially with the advent of geothermal and electric vehicle charging stations, now it’s really becoming almost impossible to offset 100 percent of someone’s electricity. For every electric vehicle you get, you don’t get another half of roof. Now and in the future, what’s most likely is that solar will offset a portion of your electrical usage, not all of it.”  Irizarry’s firm, New York State Solar Farm, recently achieved NYSERDA 2023 Gold Status and SunPower Master Dealer status. SunPower makes the systems and New York State Solar Farm installs and services them, similar to a local car dealership’s relationship with Ford, Chevrolet or Honda.  “SunPower works on the same business model,” Irizarry said. “All of the product we sell is made by SunPower. When it comes to actually designing and financing the system and any warranty work that may come up, you’re going to deal with the local dealer, which we are.”  Kronau estimated that only 3 percent of homes and businesses suited for solar, with southward facing roofs, have taken advantage of this money-saving option. “It’s still a drop in the bucket compared to the number of roofs out there and the number of people who have gone solar,” he said. “  Technology is always improving, but with solar “it’s not like a computer where the minute you buy it, it’s out of date,” he said. “If you wait to get the greatest and latest you won’t have anything because it’s always changing. You’ve got to jump in the pool sometime whether it’s for a car, a computer, cell phone or solar electric system.” Follow, like and subscribe to Saratoga.com on social media A 32-year-old Regina woman has died after her SUV collided with a semi-truck on Tuesday morning. Police responded to a report of a collision on Highway 33, northwest of Kronau. The driver and sole occupant of the SUV was declared deceased by EMS at the scene. She has been identified as a 32-year-old from Regina. Her family has been notified. The driver and sole occupant of the semi did not report injuries to police. The was closed during initial investigation, but has since re-opened. RCMP continue to investigate with the assistance of a Saskatchewan RCMP collision reconstructionist. Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account ReginaRegina woman killed in collision with semi near KronauBy Drew PosteyPublished: October 25, 2023 at 3:54PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved A massive potash project proposed for south-central Saskatchewan will come under new ownership next year when Mosaic Co completes its acquisition of Vale SA’s fertilizer business in a deal worth US$2.5 billion which operates three potash mines in the province said Monday in a news release that the deal includes Vale Fertilizantes’ currently-suspended solution mine project near Kronau Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience “We have always said that we look for value-adding opportunities at the low points in the cycle and that is what we have found here,” Mosaic President and CEO Joc O’Rourke said on a conference call Monday morning The Kronau project — which Vale has said will cost about $3.5 billion to develop — as well as the company’s right to acquire the Rio Colorado potash project in Argentina are “appealing options for future capacity if the market needs it,” O’Rourke added The cash-and-stock transaction also includes five phosphate rock mines in Brazil four chemical and fertilizer production facilities and one 500,000 tonne-per-year potash facility in the South American country Mosaic could pay Vale an additional US$260 million over the next two years if certain undisclosed financial targets are met while the Brazilian company can’t sell its Mosaic shares for two years It said a feasibility study suggests there is a compelling case for building the mine once economic conditions improve Oversupply caused potash prices to plummet over the last eight years falling from a peak of about US$900 per tonne in 2008 to around US$200 today forcing companies with operations in the province to slash production and lay off employees “We still see it as a very strategic and very important project but we won’t be proceeding with construction next year,” Vale Potash senior project leader Matthew Wood told the Regina Leader-Post last year Company officials said Monday they expect conditions to improve through 2017 about five months after the company shut down the operation and temporarily laid off about 330 workers in response to weak market conditions This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Mosaic Co. agreed to purchase Vale’s fertilizer business in a US$2.5-billion deal, the company announced in late December. The sale is the culmination of discussions dating back to at least June 2016, as first reported by Reuters. Mosaic will pay the Brazilian miner US$1.25 billion in cash and US$1.25 billion in newly-issued shares. Mosaic will become the largest fertilizer producer in Brazil and with the deal expects to generate an additional US$80 million in after-tax value by 2019. Alongside five Brazilian phosphate mines, four chemical and fertilizer production facilities, one Brazilian potash mine and a 40 per cent stake in the Bayovar mine in Peru, the deal includes Vale’s Kronau potash project in Saskatchewan, shelved in November 2015 because of unfavourable market conditions. Mosaic currently operates three other potash mines in Saskatchewan and company spokesperson Sarah Fedorchuk said the Kronau project provides “an option for future expansion.” The transaction is expected to close in late 2017, subject to regulatory approvals. It does not include Vale’s nitrogen and phosphate assets in Cubatão, Brazil, although Vale has said it also expects to sell those in 2017. The transfer of shares will establish Vale as Mosaic’s top shareholder, with an 11 per cent stake in the U.S. company. Vale will appoint two directors to Mosaic’s board. In a video about the deal on the Vale website, CEO Murilo Ferreira explained that the company had chosen to “associate with an international company” with the relevant expertise in potash and phosphate on account of “factors that made it difficult [for Vale] to open a window into the fertilizer market.” The agreement is the latest development in a fertilizer industry grappling with years of slumping prices due to oversupply and increased competition after the break up of a Russian-Belarussian potash trading cartel. The downturn has resulted in a flurry of new mergers and acquisitions, which include the merger of Mosaic’s rivals PotashCorp and Agrium, approved by shareholders on both sides in November. As the cost of power has steadily risen over the past several years, mine operators have had to become more energy-savvy to keep the lights on Tailings review from ICMM recommends increased emphasis on governance when he led police on a chase on roads in the RM of Lajord You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account A Regina Provincial Court judge told a young man he should count himself lucky nothing worse came of his risky driving behaviour in June “This could have turned out very badly for a number of reasons,” Judge Leslie Halliday told Tyler Justin Deschene who pleaded guilty on Wednesday to evading police on June 19 Court heard Deschene was going through a personal crisis at the time leading someone he knew to call the Regina Police Service to report a concern that Deschene might self-harm City police put out a notice on Deschene and his vehicle and members of the RCMP sighted the truck in question on a township road in the RM Attempts to pull Deschene over were unsuccessful for some time the 21-year-old man instead taking police on a chase Police noted Deschene’s driving was erratic and as he passed a residential area in the Kronau area on Highway 33 it reached speeds of 160 kilometres per hour officers performed what was described in court as a “high-risk takedown” in order to take the young driver into custody Crown prosecutor Kelly Onyskevitch pointed out alcohol was not a factor in Deshene’s driving adding it was clear he was emotionally “in a very bad place” at the time Halliday agreed to impose the fine requested by the Crown with conditions that will see Deschene get help for personal problems should a probation officer deem counselling necessary The judge declined to impose a driving prohibition Curling is more than a game for Kim Schneider The sport played a significant role in her life while she was growing up in Kronau and she still remembers following her father and his brothers around Saskatchewan’s bonspiel circuit Article contentThe Schneiders — Jamie (skip) Mike (second) and Larry (lead) — helped put Kronau on the curling map when they won the 1990 Saskatchewan men’s championship Fast forward to 2017 and 32-year-old Kim Schneider is still involved in curling “I just love the game and I love meeting all of the people who are involved in it,” said Schneider “It’s just a fun thing to do and it has been in my family for a long time It’s a family tradition and they support me a ton to do it but there is still so much to accomplish.’’ who is backed by her Kronau-based squad of third Shalon Fleming second Natalie Bloomfield and lead Kristy Johnson is to open play Tuesday at the Saskatchewan women’s curling championship The nine-team provincial Scotties Tournament of Hearts runs through Sunday at the Horizon Credit Union Centre in Melville Schneider isn’t any stranger to curling at the provincial level which also included Kim’s sister Tammy at second and Heather Kalenchuk at lead won provincial women’s championships in 2010 and 2011 By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of Headline News will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The latter year was the most successful as the foursome captured the Canadian women’s championship and finished second at the women’s world championship The team broke up after curling as Team Canada at the 2012 national Scotties That leaves Kim Schneider as the only member of that team who is still playing regularly at a competitive level “I call them every year and see if anyone wants to curl again,’’ Schneider said with a chuckle The foursome met recently and talked about their time together “It still seems kind of surreal,’’ Schneider said “It’s very difficult to win a Scotties to begin with and to be able to win the whole thing and go to the worlds was definitely a dream come true To wear the Saskatchewan jacket and one with the maple leaf on your back makes you want to do your best.’’ This year’s field includes Chantelle Eberle (Callie) Mandy Selzer (Balgonie) and three teams from Saskatoon — skipped by Sherry Anderson The nine skips are facing a new format that was adopted during the summer The championship was expanded from five to six days to accommodate the nine-team round-robin The 2016 championship featured 12 teams divided into two pools of six The top two teams in each pool advanced to the Page Playoffs The top four teams in this year’s championship earn berths in Saturday’s Page Playoffs Sunday’s semifinal (noon) and the final (5 p.m.) are to be televised live on SaskTel Max “The new format brings a new element to the championship,” Schneider said “You don’t think three more games is that much It will be a lot of who can figure out the ice and battle through a long round-robin It will be a great format for whichever team is off to the Scotties There will be a new provincial champion because the Highland’s Jolene Campbell didn’t advance beyond the last-chance qualifying bonspiel a fixture at the Saskatchewan women’s championship “It’s a wide-open year with lots of experienced teams there,” Schneider said “There isn’t one team that stands out compared to the rest I still think it’s a strong field and that we have lots of great talent in our province.” The world championship is March 18-26 in Beijing This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page and website in this browser for the next time I comment Canadian Mining Journal provides information on new Canadian mining and exploration trends corporate developments and industry events Home Delivery Gift Subscriptions Log In Manage My Account Customer Service Delivery Issues Feedback News Tips Help & FAQs Staff List Advertise Newsletters View the ePaper Order Back Issues News in Education Search the Archives Privacy Policy Terms of Service Terms of Purchase Work at Boston Globe Media Internship Program Co-op Program Do Not Sell My Personal Information Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account “It was pretty good,” Holland said with a chuckle Holland has executed a number of clutch shots during a long curling career that includes the aforementioned Canadian championship a silver medal at the 2011 world women’s championship and provincial women’s championships in 2010 and 2011 Her sights are now set on the 2023 Saskatchewan women’s championship which runs Wednesday through Sunday at Estevan’s Affinity Place resigning from her position as executive director of CurlSask She essentially took a two-year break from the competitive game preferring to serve as a substitute for multiple teams “It was more of just not wanting to do the grind of everything it takes to be competitive “Even in those couple of years when I wasn’t on a competitive team figuring out your schedule and everything that it takes to get to where you need to be especially in the environment that we’re in now If you’re not able to play multiple weekends and really put in the extra time in every aspect on and off the ice it’s tough to be a top team in the country.” second Karlee Kendel and lead Deb Lozinski and is active on the Saskatchewan and world curling tours Instead of focusing on Grand Slams or the Olympics the team is concentrating on provincial and national championships “That’s the only reason that I’m curling,” Holland said She works on the family grain farm in Loreburn with her partner Holland oversees the administration and marketing at the Harbour Golf Club and Resort which are coming to Regina in February and that’s consuming a lot of my time,” Holland said of the event that runs Feb “I love multi-sport games and I’ve always wanted to do a bit more in that realm Eleven other other skips are vying to represent Saskatchewan at the Canadian women’s championship “We have a lot of diversity (in the field) “We have everything from some of the veterans to what I call newbies like Madison Kleiter and Skylar Ackerman We also have a few of the thrown-together teams but they don’t play a lot and they still throw well 1-5 at Affinity Place … The combined championships were originally scheduled for 2021 in Estevan only to be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic … Anderson is curling with third Patty Hersikorn second Brenda Goertzen and lead Anita Silvernagle Anderson’s team has won five consecutive Canadian senior women’s titles along with world senior championships in 2018 and 2019 The foursome will also represent Canada at the 2023 senior women’s world championship The 12-team field is set for the Viterra Scotties Tournament of Hearts after the final four teams qualified for the Saskatchewan women’s curling championship We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentRinks skipped by Jana Tisdale (Regina Highland) Amber Holland (Kronau) and Mandy Selzer (Balgonie) survived an 11-team They will join eight other teams that have already qualified for the provincial championship followed by a four-team Page Playoff to determine Saskatchewan’s representative at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts The teams that qualified earlier are led by Nancy Martin (Martensville) Robyn Silvernagle (Battlefords Twin Rivers) and Penny Barker (Moose Jaw) Personnel listings are available at curlsask.ca This article was published more than 9 years ago would be a main competitor should Vale proceed with its Kronau potash mine.DAVID STOBBE/Reuters As Brazil's Vale SA figures out what to do with its fertilizer business the mining giant is thought to be testing the waters on a potential sale according to people familiar with the matter In addition to potash mines in South America the Brazilian mining company owns a big potash development project and slew of fertilizer concessions in Saskatchewan the world's biggest producer of potash – a crop nutrient "There has been a lot of chatter that Vale is possibly considering selling their fertilizer business you want to increase the value of your portfolio," said Joel Jackson the world's biggest iron ore supplier and a major producer of other metals is under pressure to sell assets amid a nearly $20-billion (U.S.) expansion of its iron ore complex in Brazil People familiar with the matter said it has been trying to gauge how much its fertilizer business could fetch The unit accounts for about 6 per cent of Vale's revenue from operations Asked whether Vale is considering selling its potash assets a spokeswoman for the company said it previously announced it was looking for strategic partners for potash and phosphate projects The outlook for the crop nutrient is murky with new potash production coming onto the market and the dominant North American and Russian fertilizer players no longer able to influence prices the way they used to appear unsure about how to proceed with their respective potash development projects in Saskatchewan; neither has given a clear signal if and when they will go ahead Vale is still studying whether it would be economical to build its mine BHP has been vague on when it might build its Jansen mine even though it has committed $3.8-billion to sink shafts into the earth – in preparation for the mine both projects have the potential to upend the potash market which has long been controlled by three North American producers and BHP's Jansen would be the biggest potash mine in the world and Vale's Kronau would be a medium-sized producer The mines would be an economic boon to Saskatchewan Though their potash output could further depress prices which took a hit in 2013 when Russia's Uralkali killed the Russian-Belarus cartel Vale and BHP would be competing with Potash Corp The Saskatoon-based company operates five of the 10 mines in the province and is expanding one of its mines there A Vale spokeswoman said the board of directors has not made a decision on whether to proceed with the mine But the flurry of activity around Kronau has led some to believe that Vale is getting ready to advance the project "Things are progressing very fast," said Erwin Beitel Reeve of a regional municipality that includes Kronau Beitel said that Vale has already provided the community with supplies and said Vale has been more active this year than in the past They went so far as to talk about day care facilities," Mr Vale sent officials from its Brazil headquarters to Kronau The global miner recently recalled its original project manager And it has amassed nearly 15,000 acres of land in Saskatchewan Longworth was the original project leader on Kronau when Vale acquired it in 2009 Longworth was not available to comment and did not say why he was brought back to Canada is under pressure to divest non-core assets to deal with the slump in commodity prices The Brazilian company's profit has been crimped with iron prices down 70 per cent owing to weaker Chinese demand and a glut of supply Vale has already floated the idea of spinning off part of its metals business into a separate company though that is unlikely given low nickel prices Vale has another potash project called Carnalita which is close to its Taquari-Vassouras potash mine in Brazil Taquari-Vassouras is the only potash mine in Brazil and all of its production serves the Brazilian market which is consuming more and more of the crop nutrient "There's a lot of potash coming on in Saskatchewan and they have a project in Brazil that is near their existing mine," said the Bank of Montreal analyst "I am sure they would prefer to do a project in Brazil rather than Saskatchewan," he said Vale's increased activity in Saskatchewan comes as the provincial government changed its mineral policies this March to ensure that companies don't sit on projects forever there was no requirement for companies to develop a resource companies that do not develop the resource will not be allowed to continue to lease the land after a certain time period "Our policies now encourage development of the resource" said Cory Hughes Saskatchewan's executive director of mineral policy Report an editorial error Report a technical issue Editorial code of conduct Study and track financial data on any traded entity: click to open the full quote page Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following Rachelle Younglai is The Globe and Mail's real estate reporter Welcome to The Globe and Mail’s comment community. 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For more information on our commenting policies and how our community-based moderation works, please read our Community Guidelines and our Terms and Conditions Sign In Register SOUTHEAST SASKATCHEWAN - The snowfall warnings for southeast Saskatchewan have come to an end The advisories were announced Tuesday afternoon by Environment Canada The latest special weather statement for southeast Saskatchewan has been lifted and it has been replaced by a snowfall warning in some parts The special weather statement was issued early Tuesday for most of the southeast region It was lifted Tuesday mid-afternoon.   It states that snowfall with total amounts of 10-20 centimetres is expected for portions of southeast Saskatchewan on Wednesday "A Montana low-pressure system will begin to spread accumulating snow to extreme southeastern Saskatchewan Wednesday morning before ending overnight Areas closest to the American border will see the highest amounts with 24-hour total snowfall accumulations close to 20 centimetres." this early snowfall is a reminder that winter is just around the corner and residents are encouraged to prepare for winter driving conditions and falling temperatures "Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions," Environment Canada said.  Much of southern Saskatchewan has already had its first snowfall of the year A snowfall warning was in effect earlier this week for the Swift Current area.  the Highway Hotline reported that winter conditions existed on most routes as they were wet and subject to freezing The Saskatchewan RCMP responded to numerous collisions due to the weather One was what they called a "serious collision" on Highway 33 approximately one kilometre northwest of Kronau the westbound lanes of Highway 1 near Belle Plaine were impacted by multiple semis hitting guardrails Detours were anticipated to be in place for several hours in both areas Highway 33 near Kronau was still closed as of 3:45 p.m Motorists were asked to slow down and follow the direction of emergency personnel on scene. They could also consult the Highway Hotline for up-to-date information about road closures: The Saskatchewan RCMP also responded to a collision involving two semis on Highway 10 approximately six kilometres east of Fort Qu’Appelle Highway 10 was completely blocked with one semi jack-knifed across the road The RCMP said no injuries had been reported.  The affected portion of Highway 10 has since reopened.  Roads in parts of Saskatchewan have been snow-covered and slippery or icy Saskatchewan RCMP’s Division Operational Communications Centre received approximately 36 reports of weather-related traffic issues from across the province These include multiple motor vehicle collisions This article was published more than 12 years ago Vale SA has postponed work to build a $3-billion potash mine near Kronau of Saskatchewan Inc.’s decision to shut down its Lanigan mine for a month the province and industry experts are optimistic about continued investment in potash.DAVID STOBBE/Reuters Brazilian mining giant Vale SA is postponing a $3-billion potash project in Saskatchewan but the province says this is just a minor setback in the huge runup in potash investment that will continue to flow in the coming years The huge mine was to be developed near Kronau It would have employed more than 1,000 workers during construction and hundreds would have been needed to operate it once it was opened The mine was expected to produce 2.9 million metric tonnes of potash a year will not go ahead as planned because of global economic uncertainly Vale chief executive officer Murilo Ferreira told reporters in Rio de Janeiro Thursday The mine was expected to be a boon to the region but in sectors that traditionally spring up around big projects Vale Canada spokesman Cory McPhee said the project is being postponed because of the current economic conditions "We are looking at all the projects we have on our plate and prioritizing." The company will provide details of the delay to its shareholders in the near future Vale bought the Kronau project from Australia-based Rio Tinto PLC in 2009 for about $850-million (U.S.) but not surprising" that Vale was putting the brakes on the Kronau project "I am sure they are trying to time their arrival into the marketplace with future demand," he said said Thursday that its Lanigan potash mine is being shut down for a month in mid-September to match supply with market demand there is an "explosion of investment" in potash mining in Saskatchewan with $12-billion being pumped into the sector by existing and new players "We see a very large ramp up of spending in the potash sector Reeve of the regional municipality that includes the town of Kronau said he spoke with representatives of Vale last week and they told him they are "holding back" on the project The company will continue some work and get "as close as they can to production when things do turn around." Now it may be four or five years before the mine is open Beitel said the company appears to be "a little leery about competition and the price of potash right now." He noted that there are two other companies looking at mining potash in the area: Rio Tinto There has been some opposition to the mine in the area because of the potential impact of an influx of workers and concerns over the large amount of water the mine would use The planned mine would use a technology that involves vast quantities of water that would have to be brought in from a nearby lake by pipeline "it is disappointing for a lot of people who were looking for work," Mr "Instead of travelling a long way for work Some houses were also being built in anticipation of renting them out to incoming workers and hotels and franchises such as Tim Hortons were interesting in moving into the area things are booming in Saskatchewan and potash is still a crucial commodity for making fertilizer and in the long run the mine will likely get built Richard Blackwell is a former reporter for The Globe and Mail He has reported on Canadian business for more than three decades a Canadian Journalism Fellowship and a Kenneth R ReginaCouple sues Regina builder after dream home turns into 'nightmare'By CTV ReginaPublished: June 07, 2016 at 8:14PM EDT