Page 17 - FDI Alliance International Magazine | September 2018 1

Agribusiness in Chatham-Kent

• There are over 2,200 farms
• There are 590,346 acres of farm land
• There are over 1,400 farms reporting
farm capital value in excess of one
million dollars each
• There are 13 million square feet of
greenhouse area
• There is a total of 10,198 businesses,
of which 2,447 identify as agriculture,
forestry, fishing and hunting
• There are 32 manufacturing businesses
dedicated to Food, Beverage and Tobacco

The Chatham-Kent Economic Development manufacturing, and warehousing. and species at risk reviews.
Team By being an Ontario Investment Ready: Certified Mayor Randy Hope is very involved in supporting
The team at the Chatham-Kent Economic Development Site, investors have access to up-front property the business community. “My main concern is that
are available to help businesses, both local and information, mapping and completed assessments business is able to operate in the community without
international, become an integrated member of including environmental, heritage, archaeological any bureaucratic impediments. We have great
the community. relationships with both the Provincial and Federal
In order to simplify the investment process, businesses governments and assist local companies in getting
who are ready to invest in Chatham-Kent can work Keeping Company with Great Companies funding from these governments for new investments.
directly with Economic Development Officers. They
When it comes to the Canadian tomato To get a clearer picture of the advantages in CK
serve as Project Managers providing a single point of
sector, any tomatoes grown for the investors simply have to contact www.InvestCK.
contact within the Municipality for the duration of
processing industry are grown in Chatham- com” says Mayor Hope.
the file. This unique approach is available to both new
Kent or Essex. There are a number of Continual innovation, specialization, and persistence
investors and existing companies in the community.
tomato processors in both regions. have brought the business of farming light years ahead
“From an international perspective, Chatham-Kent
Here in Chatham-Kent, we have three in the production of top quality, abundant, and safe
has high-quality affordable land that is backed by a
processors – ConAgra Foods (Dresden), food products. When you invest in Chatham-Kent,
stable government and features robust infrastructure.
Harvest-Pac Products (Chatham) and you are joining an agriculture and business community
Chatham-Kent is uniquely situated as an ideal
Weil’s Food Processing (Wheatley). that is connected, vibrant, and growing for the future.
location for agribusiness to be successful thanks
There are a number in the Essex region,
to a combination of right place, right cost, and right
and all of these processors use tomatoes
connections.” - Kim Cooper, Economic Development
grown by our tomato growers in both
Officer and Agriculture Specialist for Chatham-Kent
Chatham-Kent and Essex.
Economic Development
When you invest in Chatham-Kent,
Access an Ontario Investment Ready: Stuart McFadden
Certified Site you are becoming a part of a powerful Director Economic Development
community of manufacturers.
In order to ensure that businesses can make
60% of head offices of Canadian food 315 King Street West
investments, set up quickly, and avoid any issues,
and beverage processors are located Chatham, ON N7M 5K8
Chatham-Kent has established a 32-acre fully serviced
in Ontario.
greenfield property that is ready for development. Email: stuartm@chatham-kent.ca
The site, which is zoned for multiple industrial uses, Ontario leads the country in agri-food Phone: 519-351-7700 x2034
is located directly adjacent to Highway 401 and exports. Last year, we shipped over
less than an hour drive to a US border crossing. $8 billion in agri-food products around Cell: 519-784-3502
It is located within the Bloomfield Business Park the world. www.chatham-kent.ca
with surrounding industries including trucking and
freight, computer systems design, agribusiness,

FDI ALLIANCE | SEPTEMBER ISSUE 2018 17