Up to 200 jobs coming to St. Thomas

Another manufacturer has committed to expansion and nearly 200 new jobs in St. Thomas.

This time, it's Element5, a manufacturer of prefabricated wood structures.

Over the past five years, the business has boomed.

So much so, an addition - already being built - will take it from 130,000 to 350,000 sq. ft.

Outside of the new Volkswagen battery plant, it's the biggest news in the area.

Element5"This is massive. This will be the largest industrial investment that we've seen in St. Thomas in the last 20 years," shared Sean Dyke of St. Thomas Economic Development.

Element5, a manufacturer of prefabricated wood structures, in St. Thomas on June 21, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

It represents a $100 million commitment.

But the best news comes in the form of new jobs.

Within five years, the workforce will double or possibly even triple.

"We have our eyes on 300 people, in let's say, the next five to seven years. That kind of time frame," shared Element5 CEO Patrick Poulin.

Patrick Poulin is the CEO of Element5, seen on June 21, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)

The news is yet another off-season 'Christmas present' for Mayor Joe Preston.

He is thrilled to see his community significantly rebound after a prolonged period of downturn in the 2010s.

Preston is also pleased to see another employer is working to diversify the economy.

“We've wanted to diversify for two decades, or three decades, here in St. Thomas, so that we couldn't be caught in a single industry depression. And we surely have made it where we're not. That is for sure," said Preston.