Hydro One invests in Orillia with land purchase

Hydro One expansion to bring jobs to Orillia The Hydro One expansion will bring more jobs to Orillia. Lexy Benedict reports.

Orillia, Ont. — The opportunity for new jobs, expansion and growth to west Orillia's new Horne Business Park is on its way, with the help of three new Hydro One infrastructures.

Orillia Mayor Steve Clarke said 21 acres invested by the company would be home to the new regional operations centre, provincial warehouse centre, and currently under construction, a new primary grid control centre for the province.

Clarke said the investment would serve the city, with an estimated $300 million for the local economy.

"This investment by Hydro One will bring hundreds of well-paying jobs for decades, great jobs and great economic spinoff for existing businesses," said Clarke.

Daniel Levitan, vice president of Hydro One Stakeholder Relations, said they are thrilled to bring more jobs to a growing community like Orillia.

"To be perfectly honest, the sunshine city was a very easy place to increase our footprint," said Levitan. "A growing community which necessitates more infrastructure and work." He added that this project would also modernize the operations centre.

Negotiations for the space have been ongoing for five years, and construction on the grid control centre has been heavily underway. Clarke called it the anchor of the park's expansion. The three buildings will be alongside the city's Rotary Place arena and the new OPP headquarters.

The city anticipates construction to take place within the next five years.