Randy Hope says debt reduction and infrastructure were the highlights of 2017 in the municipality, but there were a lot of other improvements as well.
Hope says municipal debt has dropped significantly since 2010 when it was $161 million. At the end of 2017, it will be at $86 million – a decrease of $75 million over the past seven years.
“At the same time, we invested more than $60 million in infrastructure this year. We undertook more than two dozen projects including reconstruction of Richmond Street and Grand Avenue in Chatham, McNaughton and Murray Street in Wallaceburg, and replacement of sidewalks in downtown Chatham”, says Hope.
Several bridges around the municipality were repaired as well, including the Dundas and Murray Street bridges in Wallaceburg.
Water and wastewater plants saw significant improvements as well, in Thamesville, Ridgetown, Highgate, Wallaceburg, Blenheim, and Chatham.
Hope says investments in Chatham-Kent were up as well.
“Investment in our community is a two-way street as evidenced by the fact that 995 building permits for more than $144 million in construction have been issued this year. This magnitude of investment shows a strong level of confidence in our community. That total is a major increase from the $90.5 million last year”, Hope explains.
Local businesses have been doing well, as seen by the strong growth in the greenhouse industry, a $6 million facility from IATGlobal breaking ground at the Bloomfield Business Park, and YA Canada hiring hundreds of new employees.
With the success of these local businesses, Chatham-Kent also saw a decrease in unemployment, meaning more residents are working. The recent numbers show the unemployment rate at below 6% – the second time it’s been this low in nearly 11 years.
Hope says he expects 2017’s success to continue into 2018.
“I’m very confident that there will be significant announcements with companies doing expansions and new companies coming in. There are some that we’re working on announcing hopefully in the first part of the new year”, says Hope. “The local economy will be stronger in 2018. Based on the indicators and what we’re seeing, from the agricultural, commercial, and manufacturing sectors, we are seeing a huge boost in the first six months of the New Year.”
