By Pattison Media

Expanding livestock processing in Saskatchewan

Feb 13, 2026 | 12:13 PM

A new federally-inspected livestock processing plant is under construction near Perdue, about 45 minutes west of Saskatoon, Sask.  

The facility will process cattle, hogs, bison and sheep.  

Ednali Fertuck-Zehavi serves as chief commercialization officer for SDC Farms.   

“This federally inspected slaughterhouse that we’re building is actually a part of bigger development we’re doing in that region. It’s been done together with Sunnydale Hutterite Colony. We do have a lot of supporters from all the surrounding area so we don’t develop that in a vacuum. It’s together with all the amazing community in Saskatchewan of beef growers, hearing from them what they would like to see,” Fertuck-Zehavi said.   

Employees will come from the colony and surrounding area. About 40 to 50 people will be hired in the first stage prior to opening this summer. She couldn’t confirm an exact opening date due to continued regulatory work with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and other factors. She said production will start off small, then ramp up over time.   

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Once the facility is operational, Fertuck-Zehavi said each day will be dedicated to a different animal. That means one day will be for beef processing, another day for hogs, and so on.   

“To start with, we’re planning on 200 hogs a day, 100 beef a day, about 50 bison a day, and 200 sheep a day. That would be to start. We do have plans for the future, but we want to start slow and understanding the markets, create pathways to market that meat and sell that meat mostly abroad,” she said. “We do see the amazing potential of Saskatchewan that right now is uncapped, of growing more livestock on our lands. It’s great land to grow livestock, especially when we’re talking about the beef industry. There is constant demand from all over the world for all the species that I just mentioned, specifically from Canada.”    

Fertuck-Zehavi said some smaller producers are having a hard time working with some of the bigger processors.

“Some of them already have a great relationship with restaurants all over Canada that have specific needs for special cuts and special requirements on how they want that meat to be raised, how they want that meat to be processed, the traceability, and we can accommodate that because we are talking about smaller scales,” she said.  

Fertuck-Zehavi said she will share more information at the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association semi-annual meeting, Feb. 27.  

“I wanted to speak there, not just about this facility specifically, but about the untapped potential that we have as a province. How do we get Saskatchewan beef to the world? Every time I’m going around the world and I’m talking to people who are working with the meat industry,” she said. “When I mentioned that I’m working with Canadian producers, they’re getting excited. They’re saying that there is not enough in the market, that if there is product available, they would love to come and just buy it, that there are a lot of orders, a lot of demand.”    

It’s a busy time for Fertuck-Zehavi. She said it’s a part of the economic development that they’re doing in that region.   

“So, it’s not standing alone. Previous to that, we developed a pea protein processing facility there. We are growing fruit and vegetables, and we’re planning on additional development right after this slaughterhouse,” she said. 

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com