Mr. Ray Paquette reports

THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO HONOURS INTERNATIONAL ZEOLITE CORP AS A RECIPIENT OF THE FERTILIZER ACCELERATING SOLUTIONS AND TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGE

International Zeolite Corp. has been selected to receive funding to lead commercialization projects to bring innovative alternative fertilizer solutions to market. These projects will address the dependency of Ontario agriculture on imported fertilizers, as well as provide alternatives to traditional fertilizers to ensure a continuous and cost-effective supply of fertilizer products to Canadian agriculture.

International Zeolite is using the awarded grant funds to continue commercializing its zeolite-infused products through its production plant in Jordan, Ont. These products have been proven to accelerate crop time, reduce up to 80 per cent of fertilizer needed to produce crops and significantly contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases.

"Our government will always do what it takes to support Ontario's farmers, that's why we developed the Fertilizer Challenge to help mitigate fertilizer supply chain issues," said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

"The Fertilizer Challenge is supporting the manufacturing of Ontario-made fertilizer options, alternatives and technology for our farmers," said Rob Flack, parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and MPP for Elgin-Middlesex-London. "This will mean farmers will spend less on transportation and procurement costs for foreign fertilizers and can concentrate on what they do best -- continuing to competitively grow the crops Ontarians rely on every day."

"As Canada continues to grow as a global leader in agriculture, we must support our internal capacity to be self-reliant, self-improving and constructively critical of our own processes," says Dave Smardon, president and chief executive officer of Bioenterprise Canada. "These alternative fertilizer solutions are showcasing the innovation that occurs at all levels of our production value chains, and we continue to work alongside the government of Ontario to ensure we are driving sustainable, economically responsible technologies and practices within Canada's significant agricultural sectors."

"It's an honour to be recognized as a leader in the production of alternative grow systems for commercial agriculture. We continue to ramp up our production and with the support of the Province of Ontario we can more rapidly produce products to provide fertilizer solutions to Ontario farmers," says Mark Pearlman, president and chief operating officer, International Zeolite.

We seek Safe Harbor.