The stakeholders involved in a new innovation park unveiled their plans to North Bay City Council on Tuesday night.
George Burton, President of Canadore, and Paul Goodridge of Milford Development Ltd. were looking to move forward on a development north of Cedar Heights near Canadore College.
Burton says the companies in question will all have connections to Canadore and would bring about 370 new jobs to the city.
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“The innovation park as we described to council is attracting industries that are connected to our programs and, or our research agenda,” said Burton.
Burton adds the five companies have already made their intentions public and all wanted to be in close proximity to Canadore College.
The companies include the growing pods initiative, a lighting company which specializes in lighting and lighting research, a new movie studio, a pharmacy plant and a packaging firm which would service the pharmaceutical industry plant as well as the agricultural components of the park.
Burton and his colleague were looking for approval from city council to rezone the parcel of land from residential to industrial.
The plan received approval from the committee last night but still will need full council approval. The city was also looking at the option of creating a holding zone due to the scope of this project.
Peter Handley, a Cedar Heights resident, attended the meeting and voiced his concerns about the rezoning of the area near his home.
“Education has to be part of that development and right now it is not there,” said the former city councillor.
“I really feel the important part of this whole proposal is the educational part, the Canadore College part. I just wanted that emphasized so that if something happens that it does not just sit there as an industrial zone in a residential area, and a pristine residential area I might add. It is not in there but we have to trust everything goes well.”
Burton says he respects Handley’s concerns.
“I do appreciate Peter’s concerns,” noted Burton.
“He has got natural concerns of the longevity of the land and it is structured in such a way that the industrial park did not come to fruition the land would still be maintained in the college’s control.”