Chinese glass manufacturer aims to open facility in Stratford

Xinyi Canada Glass is looking at Stratford as a preferred location to set up its Canadian manufacturing facility.

The CEO of investStratford Joani Gerber saidthey're moving towardthe process of a development agreement.

"This is of great potentialfrom my perspective as an economic development professional," said Gerber.

"324 jobs, a $400-millioninvestmentand in the middle of a pandemic," he added.

The company, which is headquartered in China, had been searching for a new location since a proposal to set up its North American centre in Guelph-Eramosa Township in Wellington County was rejected in 2018.

Many residents protested the amount of daily water that would be used to produce the glass.

"We are on municipal water service and this company will be as well," said Gerber."So it's different from Wellington County, for example, where there were wells and all sorts of different issues at play."

The development is being considered for a location south of the Wright Business Park. The city recently made zoning adjustments to boundaries near the spaceto allow for new industrial development.

Xinyi Canada Glass is planning to host public information sessions in the coming weeks.

The company had considered London, Welland and Amherstburg as possible locations.