Amherstburg lands $838K in provincial funding to prepare industrial park for future jobs

Ontario has invested in Amherstburg, offering a potential attraction for jobs and investment in the town. CTV Windsor’s Chris Campbell reports.

The Town of Amherstburg has secured $838,000 in provincial funding to help prepare more than 700 acres of industrial land for future investment, as the community looks to strengthen its economy following recent job losses.

The funding, delivered through the Trade Impacted Communities Program, will support planning work, studies, and investment attraction efforts at the Howard Industrial Park.

Officials say Amherstburg is the first community in the province to receive the funding, noting the money will help position the site to attract new businesses, though no companies or jobs have been confirmed.

“This is an important step,” said Anthony Leardi, MPP of Essex.

“It’s going to allow the Town of Amherstburg to do the necessary studies and bring in the proper professionals… to move that type of development forward.”

Leardi said the funding comes as the region faces economic pressure linked to U.S. tariffs, including those imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“Our community has been impacted in part by Donald Trump’s tariffs,” he said.

“We’re going to fight for every single job in Ontario.”

The investment will fund work such as environmental assessments, land-use planning, and market analysis to help determine what types of industries are best suited for the site.

Leardi noted the size of the property could make it attractive for large-scale projects.

“To put that into context, a typical large-scale project such as, for example, the NextStar investment in Windsor required approximately 1,000 acres,” he said.

“So, these 700 acres in Amherstburg, if we can get it ready… it might be possible for us to land what we’re looking for.”

Local officials say the funding is a positive step as the town continues to adjust to the closure of operations by Diageo.

“I think it speaks to the need for our area,” explained Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb.

“We all know the Diageo story. So, this is a good news story in a tough time.”

Gibb said the town has already completed key planning work, including zoning and a secondary plan, and is now ready to begin actively marketing the land.

“We’re moving in the right direction. We can start to target industry. We can market the land… the wins will come,” he said.

He added the site’s proximity to major transportation routes, including Highway 401 and the Gordie Howe International Bridge, makes it an attractive location for industrial development.

The province is covering 75 per cent of the project cost, with the municipality responsible for the remaining 25 per cent. Amherstburg officials say existing incentive programs at both the municipal and county levels could help attract investors.

Director of Development Services Melissa Osborne said the funding significantly reduces the financial burden on the town.

“That’s probably almost a two per cent tax increase for the town of Amherstburg. That’s a significant amount of funding that they do not have to put forward,” she said, noting the municipality’s share is already accounted for in its budget.

Osborne said the work will take time, with a focus on identifying target industries and preparing the land for development.

She said the town expects to begin targeting specific markets by 2027, with potential development agreements by the end of that year and construction possibly starting in 2028.

“It is a large parcel of land. It’s going to require time to build out,” Osborne said.

She added the project could ultimately bring a range of outcomes, from multiple smaller employers to a single large-scale investment.

“It could be anywhere from… 20 businesses with 40 to 80 jobs each, or one large business with 2,000 jobs.”

Osborne told CTV News that some companies have already expressed interest in the site, but the next step is determining which industries are the best fit.

Meantime, officials say the funding is about laying the groundwork for future growth.

“If we can bring good-paying, long-term jobs to Amherstburg… this is a win,” Gibb said.

“This is one of the background things that we can do to set the table.”