Ontario launches 'Job Site Challenge' to attract large-scale investments

The Ontario government is launching what it calls a "Job Site Challenge" to identify mega sites where automakers or other advanced manufacturers could invest in the province. The goal is to generate thousands of good-paying direct and spin-off jobs.

The challenge was announced Thursday at the Toyota plant in Woodstock by Prabmeet Sarkaria, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, and Ernie Hardeman, Minister Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs.

"One of the biggest barriers that automakers face, if they want to build or expand an auto assembly plant, is availability of large-scale sites," said Fedeli. "A new auto assembly plant like the eight we already have in Ontariowould create thousands of jobs for hardworking Ontarians."

The competition, a Canadian first, invites municipalities, economic development agencies and industrial property owners to propose mega sites large parcels of land between 500 and 1,500 acres that are already zoned for heavy industrial use or could be with some work. The sites should be serviced or serviceable by utilities, transportation networks and other support infrastructure, according to a news releaseissued by the province.

Challenge modelled onU.S. programs

"The Job Site Challenge will build on our investment strategy, help us compete with other North American jurisdictions for large-scale manufacturing investments and market Ontario as a competitive place to do business," said Sakaria.

The competition is patterned after mega site programs that have helped several U-S states, such as New York, Tennessee and Alabama, attract major investments to build auto or other advanced-manufacturing plants.

Potential mega sites will be evaluated using 13 criteria. An independentsite selector will endorse and validate sites to be included in the inventory of certified mega sites. The province will then conduct a marketing campaign to showcase the selected sites to investors.

The first sites are expected to be promoted to investors next fall.