While it will have spin-off effects on the entire community, the Sarnia Construction Association will be the business sector most affected by NOVA's decision to build a $2.2-billion polyethylene plant in St. Clair Township.
Long time general contractor Ray Curran expects the bulk of the 1,400 jobs to go to local workers, although some out-of-towners may be called in.
"It's going to be great for our 5,000 member work force in the construction business," says Curran. "They're all union. This is a great deal for all of our people. We may have to bring some workers into the area.
Sarnia Construction Association Spokesman Ray Curran
"Some contractors are already working on preliminary preparation on site. The project will be great for our unions and for our contractors. We have 55 members of the Sarnia Construction Association and a good number of them will get work at the new build."
He expects things to start to ramp up in the New Year with the big hires beginning in the spring.
"This is as big as Petrosar and maybe even bigger, it's the biggest job in Ontario, apparently, of this type for the last 40 years," says Curran.
The Chemistry Industry Association of Canada says NOVA's investment will create 2,000 direct and indirect jobs over the first ten years of the project.
150 full time positions will also be created.
Right now, Curran says between 400 and 500 of the 5,000 local tradespeople are not working, although he says they have had full employment at times this past year, which he says was a good one for the local trades force.