Sudbury not business-friendly, councillor says

There were questions at Tuesday night's Sudbury city council meeting about how welcoming the city is to new businesses.

Council debated a proposal to put in water and sewer services to an industrial area in New Sudbury. The main issue was how much, if any, of the $9 million bill should be paid for up front by business owners.

Councillor Fabio Belli said he believes the city should pay everything at first and then recoup its money as new businesses move in.

But councillor Terry Kett said, even though he likes the idea, Greater Sudbury can't afford it.

'It's too costly, before I even open my doors ..." Saskatchewan manufacturer

"It is a great model, if I had the money. Like the song says, if I was a rich man, you know. And we're not."

Belli pointed out that Sudbury claims to be open for business, but has the highest industrial tax rate in Ontario.

"I had a discussion with a potential manufacturer for our community in Saskatoon," he continued. "And he said, you know what, you guys are way not competitive enough. It's too costly, before I even open my doors, to come to Sudbury."

In the end, city council voted to charge the business owners group $660,000 for the water and sewer project. That means each business in the Elizabella Street area will get a bill for about $16,000 to put in water and sewer.

Belli said he doubts the businesses will agree to that deal.

Sudbury Chamber of Commerce chair Debbi Nicholson agreed and said most business won't be happy with that number.

"These are property owners who have been in the area 30, 40, 50 years," she said. "They have been paying taxes at full cost over that period of time."

The area business owners are expected to vote on the city's cost-sharing proposal in the coming weeks.