A $20-million investment by Highline Mushrooms will create approximately 120 new jobs for Albertans, according to a statement released by the company. The new farm will be built adjacent to Highline's existing facility east of Crossfield. According to Rocky View County (RVC) CAO Al Hoggan, the County is excited to see an agricultural expansion like this within its borders.
“We really appreciate organizations such as Highline – [companies that] add value and enhance agri-business,” he said. “They take a product, market a product, create employment and create all those things that come with employment that impact the local economy. We're thrilled to see it. We couldn't be happier.”
Founded in 1961 and based out of Ontario, Highline Mushrooms acquired the southern Alberta operation, All Seasons Mushrooms, in 2016. The mushroom farm currently employs more than 190 workers in RVC, but Highline said the previous provincial government created issues regarding employment standards.
Aaron Hamer, Highline Mushrooms’ CEO, said the New Democratic Party’s “decision to de-list mushroom farms as primary agriculture was a mistake.”
According to Highline’s communications advisor Janet Krayden, the move came as a surprise and without an explanation: “We never knew why it was, when the final information came out."
Source: airdrietoday.com
