BDO Zone Initiative Information
What is the BDO Zone™ Initiative?
The BDO Zone™ Initiative (Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone) is a branded certification and regional risk rating program that enables economic development agencies and communities to effectively and credibly disclose feedstock and infrastructure attributes and risks and promote biobased development opportunities to developers and investors around the world.
In 2024, the RM of Brokenhead, in partnership with the Beausejour Brokenhead Development Corporation undertook this project to gain a better understanding of agricultural production in the region. This BDO Zone is the first rating in the Province of Manitoba for agricultural biomass and is rated for 150,000 oven-dry tonnes per year of wheat straw, extending within a 120-km radius from the center point, Beausejour, MB.
The RM of Brokenhead Bioeconomy Development Opportunity Zone received an ‘A’ rating, or ‘low’ risk. ‘A’ ratings denote high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. Capacity to support new biobased plant operations is considered strong.
BDO ZONE ASSETS
- High yield wheat production region.
- Multi-generational, locally established grain and cattle producers well-accustomed to wheat straw harvesting and utilization.
- Experienced custom baling capacity ready to scale-up production for a new project.
- No large-scale competition for wheat straw Competition Zone.
BDO ZONE LIABILITIES
- Increasing fuel costs and a narrow window of opportunity to harvest and transport straw.
- Weather events such as drought and hail can have a significant impact on straw availability.
“Our ‘A’ rating highlights the transformative potential of our wheat straw resources and provides a unique opportunity to foster innovation in our community,” stated Brad Saluk, Reeve of the Rural Municipality of Brokenhead. “Our region has a long history rooted in agriculture and we’re now shovel-ready and eager to build on that foundation by partnering with biobased companies and establishing Beausejour Brokenhead as a hub for biomass manufacturing in Eastern Manitoba.”
With various industrial lots available around the region, Beausejour Brokenhead provides a strategic & ideal location for bio-industries, with access to major highways, rail infrastructure, utilities, and a competitive cost of living.
To view the full BDO Zone Rating Report, click here.
Whether you have a project or business idea in mind or would simply like to learn more about agricultural opportunities in the RM of Brokenhead, we’d be happy to chat further with you. Please contact Sheila Mowat, Chief Administrative Officer for the Rural Municipality of Brokenhead at cao@rmofbrokenhead.ca or 204-268-6706.