An industrial property near Veterans Memorial Parkway is the first in the province to be designated 'investment ready,' CTV News has learned.
It's part of a new program that will see the government market the best industrial sites in the province to companies around the world.
The certification by the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Employment is meant to position the city owned property ahead of the competition.
“This is a good idea because now it puts us in the front of the pack in Ontario,” says Acting Mayor Bud Polhill.
“Providing this information can lead to faster site selection decisions and help get greenfield or expansion projects under way sooner,” says Sofia Sousa-Dias, with the ministry.
The property on Boyd Court is a 22-acre lot inside Innovation Park, near the corner of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Bradley Avenue.
When the site was shortlisted in January, city staff had high hopes.
“Certification is like a good housekeeping seal of approval. It means that we've gone through all the regulatory steps,” says the city’s Grant Hopcroft.
International companies looking for a location in Ontario can streamline their site selection process - receiving detailed information about the property's availability, utilities servicing, proximity to highways and environmental concerns.
The Boyd Court site will retain its certification for up to four years, though it’s expected the new program will attract a company well before that.
“If the provincial government believes we are ready for this and they are advertising it that way, then we have a leg up on everybody else,” Polhill says.
