Loading...
The Goderich Signal-Star, 2009-02-11, Page 3Goderich Signal -Star, Wednesday, February 11, 2009 - Page A3 Communities in transition grant comes up short for Huron Sinn Hunderlsnark ___ Sun Media A $777,000 Communities in Transition funding request from the province that was expected to create 600 jobs in Huron County has resulted in a grant of $125,000 towards only five of the 22 economic initiatives pro- posed. "The Ministry of Economic Development said they won't consider some of the others because they said the projects fell outside their mandate," says Mike Pullen, Huron County's economic development officer. "It's not exactly what we were looking for but there will be benefits," he said. He said Huron County was told to pursue funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food for proposed projects like the Brussels beef plant and a farm to table incubator pro- gram. • As well, he said they were told to ask the Ministry of Health for funding for the Gateway Rural Health Research Institute in Seaforth and the Ministry of Culture for a proposal to expand the region's cultural sector with a Huron County cultural plan, a performing arts plan and a training centre for the arts program. Approved projects are what Pullen called "traditional economic development" such as infrastructure and facilities. They include a property assessment of the Volvo plant in Goderich, - a Centralia manufacturing incubator feasibility plan, a Goderich Harbour expansion plan, a Rich- ard Levan airport plan near Wingham and a county -wide marketing plan. Pullen said the study of the Volvo facilities will help to market the Goderich building to other possible manufacturers while the God- erich harbour expansion would create more potential for trade and export through Huron County. "We get calls from London and Kitchener asking about the capacity of the Goderich harbour to ship manufacturing. products worldwide," said Pullen. He said Ministry of Economic Develop- ment officials really liked the idea of a train- ing centre/business and manufacturing incu- bation centre at the former Centralia College site. "There, we would look into the oppor- tunity to set up training for the trades and provide additional space for small scale businesses," said Pullen. "It's a longer term thing but it's clearly something that's needed to help the whole county." The project to develop an airport near Wingham that is currently used mostly by Wescast Industries was also approved since it was seen as a way to benefit all of Huron County. The county -wide marketing project fo- cuses on using the Internet to promote Hu- ron County with several websites including investinHuron.ca, an Ontario's West Coast website and a Huron manufacturing web- site. "This funding will allow us to move much quicker on core strategies we already have in place," he said. While Pullen says the projects that re- ceived Ministry of Economic Development approval won't create any jobs in the short- term in Huron County, he's hoping they'll bring investors to the community. "Some of the projects not considered were Decorative and Functional Ironwork Featuring Unique, Custom Made - Railings' Gates" Furniture` Garden Accessories HAVE YOUR OWN IDEAS MADE INTO REALITY! Strong, Flexible and Enduring Steel For your Home/Cottage/Business/Garden Visit our website at www.workingiron.ca 36854 DUNGANNON RD., DUNGANNON 529-3434 Photo by Dave Sykes Winter walk At the Candlelit Walk, Kara and Ken • Gosleigh, with chil- dren, Noel and Sophie made the trek through the woods with the help of Chaps a 12 -year- old Akita. • Bowes Publishers limited A Subsidiary d Sun Media Corporation - A Qtiet�eoor ' The Goderich Signal -Star, published every W, , •• , 52 times year, at Godedch, Ontario is one d The = = PuGroupNewspapers not be liable for failure bpublish an ad or for typographical errors in publication except to the ardent of the d thatthe ad in *filch the error occurred. The S.Sd tar reserves the right to rejed or edit any advertisement. Subscription rale is $40.00 per year plus GST. The Goderich Signal -Star is a member of The Canadian Newspaper Association p(cNA), The Ontario Community. Newspaper Association (OcNA), and the Ontario Pres Council. For any non deliveries or delivery concerns please call 519- 524-2814. Return all undelivered copies, changes d address and sub- scription order to address below. _ alion Agreement No. 400846K1 PAP Return undeliverable Cobden addresses to Cinaalalice Dept. P.O. Box 220,120 Huctdns 8t, Goderich,A4 86 519) 524-2814 bowebietwm We adu owAedge the financial support d the Government of Canada through are Publications Assistance Program lords our rasing coals O 1R S AMA the ones that had the jobs attached. But, the big thing is to market Huron County, to really promote it," he said, adding that the provin- cial representatives said they didn't want to fund any projects that were too "community - specific" or tied to any one municipality "They like to see a more regional ap- proach," he said. He said the proposal for economic devel- opment plans in South Huron, North Huron and Vanastra was broadened to include all of Huron County in an economic blueprint, examining the strengths and weaknesses of every municipality and looking at ways to work better together. "A lot of this work has been done already and would pull existing strategies together," he said. Pullen said he's also hoping that economic development funding promised in the recent federal budget • .will help to fund some of the projects that didn't receive the provincial Communities in Tran- sition funding. "We're keeping a close eye on how the federal budget money rolls out and we hope it will pick up some of the other projects that would have brought more immediate ben- efits," he said, adding he's hoping that some of the federal funding will come through the Huron Business Development Corporation which is well positioned to determine where the money's most needed. "We're sitting here ready to go - we just need additional funds," he said of the remain- ing 17 projects that did not receive provincial funding. Pullen said it will take several weeks to finish the paperwork before the funding arrives. Great Cars. Great Rates. Now available with winter tires! Call or visit us today! Highway 21 south of Goderich at Hyundai of Goderich. 519-524-1795 • Carinal A Ucensee of Dollar 'Witty Automotive Group, Inc, of its Affiliate.