Oversized Load (Waste Heat Exchanger) moves through Sarnia, Wed Sep 16, 2015. Photo by Sarnia Police via Twitter.Oversized Load (Waste Heat Exchanger) moves through Sarnia, Wed Sep 16, 2015. Photo by Sarnia Police via Twitter.
Sarnia

New Government Gives New Hope For Heavy Load Corridor

Provincial funding for a local oversized load corridor will be discussed at a high-level meeting in Strathroy Friday.

Warden Bill Weber, the mayors of Sarnia and St. Clair Township, Rick Perdeaux of the Sarnia Lambton Industrial Alliance, County Infrastructure General Manager Jason Cole, and Dave Moody and Alex Palimaka from the Sarnia Lambton Economic Partnership will be in attendance.

They'll push their case to Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey and Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP and new Infrastructure Minister Monte McNaughton.

Palimaka hopes having two elected representatives from the governing party will help.

"I think that gives us a strong understanding of the issues that are involved," says Palimaka. "We all know why this project is important for Sarnia Lambton. It would create opportunities for our local industry, our petrochemical industry, our bio-industry and open the door for our local manufacturers to service the rest of the world."

Local governments and an industry coalition have committed half of the estimated $12-million needed to create a route with the necessary infrastructure to allow for the passage of massive units from local manufacturers to Sarnia Harbour en route to western Canada and elsewhere.

A business plan estimates the corridor could generate an additional $9.5-million in annual sales and create over 2,600 person years of employment.

High-speed rail, and upgrades to Hwy.40/Modeland Rd. will also be discussed.

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