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Jim Hegadon, Deputy Mayor of Loyalist Township, thinks of his grandchildren when considering the impact of the new $ 1.5 billion electric vehicle battery material factory on the community.
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“Today was very overwhelming,” Hegadon admitted with a big smile after the announcement of the new 350-acre Umicore NV plant at Queen’s University, attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and representatives of all levels of government. rice field. Queen’s University.
“I’m looking at my grandchildren. That’s the person I work for. My kids are mixed, but my grandchildren, they have to succeed in this community.”
The new facility, located near County Road 4 between Bath Road and County Road 23, will create 1,000 jobs during construction and will be in a full-time position with a minimum of 700 highly skilled personnel when it goes live in 2025. Produces. An active substance used in the batteries of electric vehicles. The company plans to produce enough materials to support one million batteries annually.
“The values of both of our organizations are very well aligned,” Hegadorn said of Umicore and his town. “We are committed to openness, innovation, respect, teamwork and stability … Economic development is a priority for Loyalist Township and Lenox and Addington County. A positive business environment. The combination of our geography, infrastructure and access to skilled talent makes Loyalist a desirable place for economic development.
“I think this announcement today confirms this. Thank you for your trust in our town.”
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Mr Hegadon said it is difficult to say how much the new facility will have an economic impact on the region.
“I’ve been trying to imagine where the bubble is, but so far I don’t know because it depends on what’s going to happen in the area, but the spillover effect is huge. “Hegadon said.
This announcement means further planning for the future of Loyalist Township.
“We have a long-term plan,” Hegadorn said. “When I heard this announcement, and when everything happened, I now need long-term thinking. I’ve secured this, but it’s amazing. Now we have to look at the next generation. No. That’s what I’m seeing. “
Hastings-Lenox and Rick Bressy of the Adington MPP called the announcement a “regional economic blow.”
“This is a tremendous moment,” Bresee added.
After the announcement, Kingston Economic Development Corporation CEO Donna Gillespie shook hands with Umicore CEO Mathias Miedreich, informing him that her doors were always open.
“This is definitely a multi-billion dollar investment and there will be a wave of the future,” Gillespie said. “They today announced a thousand jobs created in the construction industry for the construction of facilities, and you enter when they are actually in production. They are the major private employers in the area. Will be one of them. “
This means a spin-off in the form of new workers and new homes, causing a “huge multiplier effect”.
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The factory also has the potential to drive related businesses to the region.
“This is a groundbreaking opportunity, as the Prime Minister said once in a generation, but it continues to solidify the Kingston region as a leader in clean technology, especially when it comes to battery space (for electric vehicles). “.” Gillespie said. “We were able to announce Li-Cycle in the past. They are working with Kingston Process Metallurgy Inc., IPG Photonics … it just keeps snowballing.
“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to support the supply chain and allow other leaders in this sector to focus on the Kingston region and bring in new investments.”
scrosier@postmedia.com
