Snow did not stop an announcement in Stratford on Monday that is sure to bring new jobs to the region.
A big investment of over $2-million in local companies from the Southwestern Ontario development fund will lead to new jobs according to Guelph MPP Liz Sandals.
"It adds up to a lot of new jobs, 71 new jobs. But importantly, we keep all the jobs we've already got and that's important, too," she says.
Just over $785,000 will be used by CR Plastic Products for a new robotic assembly line. Stratford's largest private sector employer, CRP is known across the continent for their outdoor furniture manufactured from recycled plastic.
Other businesses benefiting from the grant include FIO Automotive, who are receiving $980,000, and Hayashi, $662,170, two automotive parts supply companies who have contracts with Toyota and Honda. Atwood Heritage Processing is also seeing a boost. The meat processor is receiving just over $140,000 to help with building a new 6,800 sq ft plant, allowing them to double annual production.
Sandals hopes the grants will help boost innovation in Southwestern Ontario, and allow businesses to expand into new markets in both north America and around the globe. Sandals repeated that the job retention aspect was very important.
"What we want to know is that the increased volume offsets the increased productivity so that people are generally keeping the workers that they already have," says Sandals.
