Chatham-Kent Economic Development officials continue to search for alternative buyers for a 34-acre site in the Blenheim Industrial Park, despite the fact that the Brightenview project remains very much alive.
“We just pitched it (the property) to another concern recently,” said Economic Development Director Michael Burton. “Brightenview knows the situation. We hope they can make a deal happen and we’re working with them but it doesn’t mean other business stops.”
Brightenview Development International took an option to purchase the site in October of 2014, paying a non-refundable deposit of $40,000 on the total purchase price of $804,000.
Last April the company was granted a 180-day extension on the option but that expired in October.
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“I know there is some concern that local people are questioning Brightenview’s commitment but believe me we’ve spent several months working through the various requirements of the senior levels of government.”
The company’s plan is to erect a Global Development Centre, a 680,000-square-foot, $45-million industrial condominium project, which would help facilitate expansion to North America for small and mid-sized companies.
The Saskatoon-based company’s vision is to see the GDC eventually be home for as many as 80-100 different offshore businesses. The concept, according to Burton, is for Brightenview to build the structure and supply support for offshore small- and medium-sized businesses to the point that all they need to do is bring their manufacturing knowledge with them and they’ll be able to begin operations.
Once completed, the project is projected to bring in an additional $60-$65 million by tenant companies and create as many as 500 jobs.
Burton said there were two issues delaying the project, one financial and one linguistic.
The provincial nominee program (PNP) that paves the way for investment from outside the country has various revenue streams, and finding the right fit has been an issue.
Burton said the existing provincial nominee program is being used to obtain permanent resident status for employees.
“The provincial nominee program allows investors to come in and operate their companies when they come into the country, but it also requires them to obtain permanent resident status for employees,” he said.
“Brightenview was seeking $5 million in funding but due to restrictions in one particular grant stream that sum was too high,” he said. “There is a provision under the program for the project to be accepted under an entrepreneur designation and I think that’s where it will end up.”
The second, and still outstanding issue involves provisions that require company officials to be fluent in English within 24 months of the project being approved.
“These people don’t speak English at all so it’s quite a high requirement that they be fairly fluent in 24 months,” he said. “That requirement was one from the former federal government so we’re urging the province, through Michael Chan, Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and International Trade, to try with the new government. “
He said unless the provisions can be relaxed to a longer time period, pehraps four years, the project will be dead.”
Burton said he still believes Brightenview’s Blenheim project can be a success.
“I was very happy that council showed goodwill by telling Brightenview that although it won’t refund the option money, it will allow it to be used as part of the overall price if the sale goes through.”
Brightenview officials didn’t respond to requests for comment on the Blenheim project.
we need to hear these things, keep up the Good work!
Wonder if a for sale sign will be put up on the land in Dundurn SK where they original bought before the land in Blenheim ON
I called this all along. This was nothing but election tacticts to get a select few re-elected. I don't expect to see any development now that the Chinese economy is tanking along with our own…