Minister Fast Congratulates Windiga on $50-Million Contract in Burkina Faso
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, June 20, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today congratulated Windiga Energy Inc., a Canadian independent power producer, on signing a $50-million contract to build a solar power plant in Zina, Burkina Faso. The project will also include a community development segment involving electrification of a number of rural villages in the area.
The contract comes as the governments of Canada and Burkina Faso conclude negotiations on a foreign investment promotion and protection agreement.
Minister Fast is on a ten-day, four-country trade mission to boost Canada's trade and investment ties in Burkina Faso, Madagascar, South Africa and Tanzania. The mission has a special focus on the extractive and renewable energy and power sectorssectors identified as priorities under the Government of Canada's Global Markets Action Plan.
Quick Facts
Windiga Energy is headquartered in Montréal and employs eight people there and six in West Africa.
Sector-focused trade missions are part of the Government of Canada's pro-trade plan to support Canadian businesses, especially small and medium-sized ones, seeking to explore opportunities in new markets.
Canada is the largest foreign investor in Burkina Faso, a priority market under Canada's Global Markets Action Plan.
Minister Fast is leading his third trade mission to Africa, having previously led trade missions to Libya, Nigeria and Ghana.
Quotes
'We are committed to creating the right conditions for Canadian businesses, especially our small and medium-sized businesses, compete, succeed and expand internationally. Our government will continue to support Canadian companies as they create jobs, as part of our government's most ambitious pro-trade, pro-export plan in Canadian history.'
- Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade
'We are very pleased with the support we received from both governments, which allowed us to conclude a strategic agreement to build a major22 solar MWrenewable energy project.'
- Benoît Lasalle, President and CEO of Windiga Energy Inc.