The province announced Wednesday it is introducing legislation to attract new investment to the parcel of land assembled by the city last summer east of Highbury Avenue.
The site is located in St. Thomas and Central Elgin and has been identified as one of the most investment-ready mega sites in Ontario.
However, with the land divided between two municipalities with different permitting requirements, potential investors could face red tape and delays from unnecessary duplication.
If passed, the proposed legislation will adjust the municipal boundaries so the site resides fully in St. Thomas, speeding up construction timelines and ensuring the site is shovel-ready for potential investment.
The proposed legislation builds on the province’s efforts during the Job Site Challenge, which was designed to attract large-scale advanced manufacturing investments that have the potential to create hundreds of new jobs across the province.
Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, in a media release stressed, “Creating more shovel-ready mega sites will help Ontario remain competitive as the province competes for major global investments.”
