Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope today proposed that a regional partnership of municipalities be formed, well beyond the borders of Chatham-Kent, to compete for new international investment.
“From Sarnia to Windsor and all communities in between, we should be collectively investing in one powerful and effective organization to attract global investment to our region,” said Mayor Hope. “This organization would be accountable to the communities in Essex County, Chatham-Kent and Lambton County. The objective is to put our collective resources for attracting investment to more effective and efficient use.”
Mayor Hope made his proposal Thursday morning in Chatham at the Annual Municipal Update hosted by the Chatham-Kent Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by OLG in cooperation with TV COGECO. The event was held at the Retro Suites Hotel.
“Most investors looking to Canada and Ontario are from overseas,” said Mayor Hope. “Challenges for all of us are going to be much tougher. Although a local approach works for business retention and expansion, the way we compete for new international industrial investment dollars must be improved upon. We are all competing with very large state and regional jurisdictions. Many appear to have unlimited resources to attract investment. The effort to attract investment dollars takes time and is very expensive. With individual community approaches, there is a significant duplication of effort and expense that taxpayers in the region can ill-afford. Unless we all take a new approach, we will lose the investment opportunities available.”
“Over the coming weeks, working with Council and municipal staff, I will be calling on the mayors of the region to discuss this possibility and flesh out how we might proceed. We will then reach out to regional business leaders to enlist their support. We will reach out to other jurisdictions to develop a partnership to attract new investment to our region. Together, our regional communities with common interests can overcome barriers to attracting new investment. The South Shores region, with over 630,000 residents, will also have a far greater influence with senior levels of government than we could ever hope for individually. That influence can help to shape effective provincial and federal investment attraction programs. “
In his address, Mayor Hope noted that, in Chatham-Kent, significant gains have been made in supporting the community’s priorities as outlined by Municipal Council. – Jobs, People, Health, and Financial Sustainability.
The Municipality of Chatham-Kent’s economic development initiatives have focused on job creation and investment attraction:
– A heavy focus on business retention and expansion
– Continued support for new small business start-up and job creation through the Small Business Centre
– An aggressive pursuit of foreign direct investment to create new jobs
Speaking to a business audience, Mayor Hope thanked local companies for their investment in Chatham-Kent, noting the following:
– Chatham-Kent companies have submitted 34 applications for senior-level government funding programs.
– Thirty of these are approved.
– Chatham-Kent companies continue to invest in our community – this is reassuring news.
– Chatham-Kent companies plan to invest nearly $111 million in manufacturing, technology, and agri-business expansions.
– They are retaining hundreds of jobs and creating a projected 378 new jobs.
– In the first quarter of 2015 their expansion continues at a healthy pace.
– In addition to private investment by businesses, so far 17 government funding applications have been approved, representing $79 Million dollars of Capital Expense investments committed by Chatham-Kent companies with support from upper-tier governments.
– These investments will generate 429 projected new jobs in our community.
– In the small business sector, the municipality’s Small Business Centre has assisted 106 new businesses to launch in 2014.
– Small businesses are central to the health of our local economy.
– They have created an additional 125 jobs in the community.
Mayor Hope also noted the importance of Chatham-Kent’s vibrant agricultural sector, saying:
– The expansion of the agri-business and agriculture sector is truly the key to success in Chatham-Kent.
– Chatham-Kent features abundant water supplies and some of the most fertile soil in North America.
– There is a resurgence of adding value to locally grown products.
– Through an initiative we call the ‘food hub”, CK continues to draw foreign investment interest.
– Our greenhouse operators and international investors are exploring opportunities for expansion.
– Agriculture is an important sector in the community – we truly do “Grow for the World”.
Mayor Hope also noted the importance of cultivating good relationships with green energy companies, notably the partnership of Samsung Renewable Energy and Pattern Renewable Holdings Canada, which has committed to long-term investment in Chatham-Kent and its local communities.
– Submitted photo
