Earlier this month, it was announced that Chatham-Kent officials were in talks with a fertilizer company about possibly setting up shop in the area.
Some buildings in Wallaceburg were reportedly being eyed as a destination.
Chatham-Kent Mayor Randy Hope said this might not necessarily come to Wallaceburg specifically, but positive steps are being taken to make it possible.
“We need to look at our core functions and our core business opportunities,” Hope said. “What are some of our primary things, automotive is always important to us. The other part that is extremely important to us is the agricultural. Whether it is the chemicals associated with agriculture… so fertilizer is one of those components.”
Hope said many economic development trips have been focused on building those relationships.
“Everybody says why have you been going over there, it’s establishing the relationships with business leaders that will promote and get this thing moving,:” Hope said. “We have a number of core things available in our community, number one, our transportation system is second to none. A lot of communities don’t have this, we have railroad and water. Water access in Wheatley and the Wallaceburg area. We have significant road access and access points to the U.S., which a lot of communities don’t have. And the road systems with the 401 and the 402 and access to those huge market opportunities.”
Hope said there are growing opportunities to export Chatham-Kent grown food to the world.
“The other thing that has really been going strong is the issue of food safety standards in Canada, especially here in Chatham-Kent because we do grow for the world,” Hope said. “It’s about identifying opportunities that we can export. Everybody always seems to focus on the North American market. Because we’re competing on the global market, there are huge markets we can penetrate around the world… so we can start exporting our foods by adding value to them and penetrating those markets by growing it here in Chatham-Kent or Southwestern Ontario.”
Any potential fertilizer plant in the area, would be the first in Chatham-Kent.
