According to Champlain Township Mayor Normand Riopel, negotiations are positive with the Town of Hawkesbury regarding services for a proposed new business park at the southeast corner of Hawkesbury.
On Thursday, October 9, Patrick Tallon and Alain Ménard, representing the Hawkesbury Industrial Investment Association (HIIA) appeared at the Champlain Township Council Committee of the Whole meeting. Tallon is also the President and Chief Executive Officer of Tulmar Safety Systems and Ménard is the President and Co-Founder of Green Beaver. Both of them wanted to know what each municipality is doing to ensure municipal water and sewer infrastructure is provided to the site so it may be developed with new industrial investment.
Tallon said in 2022, the HIIA acquired 130 acres of land in Champlain Township, east of Tupper Street in Hawkesbury, and north of Highway 17. The site of the proposed business park is in Champlain, but the water and sewer services are only available from nearby Hawkesbury.
The environmental assessments and planning for the site are complete, and the HIIA wants to proceed with development.
“There’s an acute shortage of industrial land in our region,” Tallon said.
He said the HIIA regularly turns interested investors away because there is no serviced industrial land available. Tallon claimed 12 firms have inquired about locating in the area in the past year but went elsewhere in Eastern Ontario or Southern Québec.
Ménard said either an agreement between the two municipalities should be reached, or Hawkesbury could annex the land from Champlain. He said resolving the issue of services for the site would make it easier to secure provincial grants to assist with development.
“To attract the types of businesses we want to attract, we need water and sewer,” Tallon said.
He continued by saying that wells and septic systems would not attract the industries that would achieve the economic results the HIIA wants.
“Our association is willing to work with you and to share some costs moving forward,” Tallon added.
“We already know your demands. We already know your ask and understand. There’s not one member of council that would object or refuse any businesses or new businesses to come in and establish themselves either in Champlain or in Hawkesbury,” was Riopel’s initial response.
He said that in 2024, council adopted a resolution mandating the mayor and CAO of each municipality to negotiate.
“We are pleased to report that discussions have been constructive and very collaborative with the Town of Hawkesbury,” Riopel said.
The mayor continued by saying he would not disclose further details about the negotiations and would rather keep them between the two municipalities.
“We believe it’s best not to involve a third party,” Riopel remarked.
He assured Tallon and Ménard that negotiations will continue between the Chief Administrative Officer’s of Champlain and Hawkesbury.
Riopel said the township recognizes potential for development and the positive impact it could have.
