New call centre to create nearly 300 jobs in Edmundston

S&P Data is planning to open a new business services centre in Edmundston, which will create up to 289 jobs over the next five years in the region.

The provincial government will provide the company with $2.2 million in the form of payroll rebates to create and maintain the jobs for at least one year, as well as a non-repayable contribution towardany capital expenditures.

The project was announced Friday.

The company has signed a lease for commercial space in the Madawaska Centre.

In October, about 180 people lost their jobs in Edmundstonafter Sears Canada announced it would be liquidating all of its remaining stores and assets, including the call centre that had recently opened in the city and trained dozens of people to work there.

Edmundston Mayor Cyrille Simardsaid he understands that most of those employees have been able to find work elsewhere in the region, pointing out that the area has a low unemployment rate compared to other regions.

According to the latest labour force figures from Statistics Canada, the Edmundston and Woodstock areaunemployment rate was at 3.3 per cent in April, the lowest in the province, representing little change since the same period last year.

Still, more jobs for the area is always good news, Simardsaid.

"Even though we have a low unemployment rate right now, there's still people who would like to work in this field," he said.