Sarnia's mayor is very bullish about the area's economic prospects in 2017.
Mike Bradley delivered his state of the city address at the Seaway Kiwanis Club luncheon Tuesday.
He says a new $2-billion NOVA Chemicals polyethylene plant is one of a number of potential projects.
"Right now there is about $5-billion, I'm not talking $500-million, but $5-billion in potential projects for the industrial sector here," says Bradley. "And if we even get 50%-plus of that, the benefits to the community for a number of years will be significant."
The mayor says a new $2-billion NOVA Chemicals polyethylene plant and a second, much larger BioAmber plant, are major potential investments.
He says having the TransAlta and Lanxess sites with lower power rates is a huge bonus for the area.
"In November I met with a major company looking to locate here, and the same in December on those sites, and it's very encouraging," says Bradley.
Bradley says it isn't clear how the province's new cap-and-trade program will impact Sarnia-Lambton but as a fossil fuel and bio-fuel community, he says efforts have to be made to determine what can be done to take advantage of such programs to attract more industry and strengthen the ones that are here.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
