Eastern Ontario vying for large-scale manufacturers in provincewide ‘contest’ – Kingston

Municipalities across the province are hoping to become a future site for large manufacturers.

As part of the Ontario Job Site Challenge, 19 communities submitted applications that outlined a clear site that could be used to build industrial plants. These sites have been categorized as shovel-ready, which means they are ready for development immediately.

The challenge aims to lure large manufacturers to the province, which then, in turn, would create thousands of jobs in the area.

“The Job Site Challenge is an important initiative for Ontario’s economic recovery and for restarting the province’s economic engine,” says Prabmeet Sarkaria, associate minister of small business and red tape reduction.

“A company’s decision to locate at a specific mega-site is a long-term investment that would create thousands of good-paying direct and supply-chain jobs – benefiting the local community, surrounding municipalities and the entire province.”

The selection process is now underway, and the original 19 applications have been cut down to a top 10. Five of the 10 communities are in eastern Ontario.

“Hopefully we’re successful in eastern Ontario in getting one of these sites marketed internationally,” says Todd Smith, MPP for Bay of Quinte.

“This really is a game-changer.”

Smith was unable to say which municipalities in eastern Ontario are in the 10 finalists, but it appears that the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal is in the running.

Council approved the application in March to designate the Cedar Grove site for this initiative. The site is a 1,130-hectare plot of land that is tucked between the 401 and 416, just north of Johnstown.

Township officials say they are feeling optimistic about their chances to be chosen, due to the property’s location and size.

In terms of what type of industry this initiative will attract, it seems like the automotive industry is the most likely. But there are other manufacturers that could come into play.

“It would make sense for eastern Ontario to be the location of a large aerospace manufacturer,” says Smith.

“But there are many others as well, such as big pharma and big technology.”

The provincial government says the three finalists will be selected on Canada Day.