Invest WindsorEssex will receive funding to help support Amherstburg residents after the provincial government reached a $23 million deal with Diageo.
Diageo, the global spirits company that produces Crown Royal, announced in August that it would be closing its Amherstburg plant, affecting 170 jobs.
The plant is scheduled to be closed this month.
Premier Doug Ford announced Friday that an investment deal has been reached with the company.
The company has committed to making investments in its facilities in Toronto and Scarborough and to purchase grain neutral spirits from a production company in eastern Ontario.
Invest WindsorEssex will receive $500,000 for economic development with a focus on Amherstburg and the surrounding area. According to the provincial media release, another $500,000 has been committed to "other community projects to support residents of Amherstburg."
“By standing firm in our plan to protect Ontario workers, we’ve secured nearly $23 million in investments that Ontario would not otherwise have seen,” said Ford. “These investments will help keep Ontario workers on the job, strengthen provincial supply chains, and support the local community in Amherstburg and the surrounding area.”
The investment also includes funds for Ontario-based marketing and promotion and a commitment to explore options to establish a new Ontario canning facility.
"Ontario remains committed to protecting good jobs and ensuring that industries across the province continue to grow and thrive. This agreement with Diageo reflects the strength of our agri-food and manufacturing sectors, and the value of standing up for workers. By working collaboratively with industry, we are building a stronger, more resilient supply chain while ensuring that companies benefiting from Ontario’s marketplace invest back into our people and our communities," said Minister of Finance Peter Bethlenfalvy.
