N.B. kicks in $800,000 toward industrial park
Mayor hopes expansion at Caledonia industrial park leads to more 'green' businesses moving into the city
BY REBECCA PENTY
Canadaeast News Service
Published Wednesday December 31st, 2008
Business New Brunswick is contributing an $800,000 forgivable loan toward the cost of opening up more land at the Caledonia industrial park. The total cost of the project is $5 million. The funding provided by Business New Brunswick will help with the development of new lots, which includes new paved streets and water and sewer lines.
The expansion of Moncton's northern industrial complex just got a boost from provincial coffers, a move the city's mayor hopes will help attract clean industry.
Business New Brunswick announced yesterday it would give $800,000 in forgivable loans to Moncton Industrial Development Ltd. -- the city-owned non-profit manager of Caledonia Industrial Park -- to help develop 63 hectares of industrial land.
The total cost of the expansion of serviced lots, which will include cutting down trees, paving roads and putting in water and sewer and electricity lines, is projected at $5 million.
While Mayor George LeBlanc said the city wants to attract a diverse portfolio of business, it will continue on its path of working to appeal to greener companies.
"Generally speaking, we tend to stay away from the heavy industrial type of industry that is not environmentally friendly and might not be friendly to the quality of life we enjoy here," LeBlanc said, adding that despite that goal, the city would entertain applications from all companies.
"The spectrum is pretty wide open and we'd have a hard look at each business," LeBlanc said, pointing to Hub City's existing business makeup, which includes transportation, medical, educational and even high-tech engineering companies.
Caledonia Industrial Estates occupies 672 hectares of land near the Trans-Canada Highway in the city's north end and is presently home to more than 85 businesses.
The park, one of two operated by the city, cannot expand with existing infrastructure.
"The Caledonia industrial park has been a fast-growing industrial park for Moncton and it's almost full to capacity," LeBlanc said.
The mayor said the city's role in the expansion is to attract companies to lots that include all the right amenities, while property developers would be in charge of constructing buildings.
Caledonia park currently includes such businesses as Shoppers Drug Mart, Source Medical, Bunzl Canada, Superior Propane, Irving Personal Care Ltd., game manufacturer Spielo and Molson's new brewery, which opened in 2007.
Moncton Industrial Development was created in 1959 as a joint partnership between the City of Moncton and Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce.
It began expanding the Caledonia park in the 1990s and added another 140 acres to its serviced area in 2003.
Aside from Caledonia Industrial Estates, the organization operates the city's west-end Moncton Industrial Park, the first park of its kind in New Brunswick.
Moncton Industrial Park is at full capacity, due to its location adjacent to the CN's rail yards.
Business New Brunswick spokesman Ryan Donaghy said the province chose to help Moncton Industrial Development expand as part of its plan to encourage economic growth in the province.
"What Business New Brunswick is looking to do is to continue to diversify the economy," Donaghy said.
He said the forgivable loan is tied to the successful planned development of all 63 hectares.
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