"At our peak, we would require 5,000 craftsmen in the Edmonton area," said Jerry Crail, NWU's vice-president of engineering and construction.

NWU/CNRL aims to start onsite work in first quarter 2012 with piles being driven into the ground, to be followed by plant assembly from mid-2013 and production from the first phase will start mid-2015.

Six companies have been prequalified for the main construction contracts. Click onto 'The Redwater Business Mixer' for details of their presentation.