ST. LAWRENCE CORRIDOR, CITY OF BROCKVILLE WELCOME LECLERC

BROCKVILLE, ON, Jan. 25, 2022 /CNW/ - Leading Canadian food manufacturer Leclerc has announced the purchase of the former Procter & Gamble (P&G) factory at 1475 California Avenue in Brockville, an expansion of its North American operations that will see $100 million invested locally along with the creation of over 100 new jobs in 2022.

Leclerc, a Quebec City-based family-owned company established in 1905, plans to move the production of many of its nationally known products to Brockville. The City of the 1000 Islands and the greater St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission (SLCEDC) region will soon become home to famous treats like the Celebration Cookie, as well as 100 new jobs in year one, with a plan to double in year two and beyond.

"We have developed an excellent business relationship with the St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission and we are proud to benefit from their competence and expertise," said Denis Leclerc, President of Leclerc Foods. "We are confident that this partnership will continue to be an asset that will facilitate our arrival in Brockville and ensure the success of our project."

Leclerc is also investing an estimated $100 million in their new facility at the former P&G building in Brockville. This includes investing in capital equipment to make the new location a technological innovator in food production.

The Government of Ontario is also supporting the Leclerc move to Brockville through the Eastern Ontario Development Fund. A total of $1.5 million will be provided to the company to assist with the creation of new jobs and technologies.

The arrival of Leclerc in the region will also have significant additional benefits. Burnbrae Farms, headquartered just north of Brockville in fellow SLCEDC municipality the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley, will be Leclerc's egg supplier. This will allow Burnbrae to deliver its goods to the new Leclerc plant in a matter of minutes. The end result will be a strengthened local economy, with businesses supporting each other.

"Attracting good jobs and good industries like Leclerc to our region is exactly what our goal has been all along with the Corridor, so this is a great day for all of our member municipalities," said Corridor board chairman Shelley Bacon, of Northern Cables. "Adding this number of new jobs will boost the economy across the entire area, providing a great shot in the arm for all of our municipalities, from Front of Yonge in the west straight through to Edwardsburgh-Cardinal in the east."

COMMENTS

"I'm thrilled to announce our government's contribution of $1.5 million from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund to help Biscuit Leclerc Ltd. locate in Brockville. Local investments in world-class companies will grow the economy, create solid, stable jobs, and demonstrate strength for our local communities in the pandemic recovery."
MPP Steve Clark (Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes)
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

"Through the Regional Development Program, our government is making targeted investments in the province's manufacturing sector to help create good, local jobs. We thank Biscuits Leclerc for investing in our province's vibrant food manufacturing sector. This project is making a significant impact on the St. Lawrence Corridor regional economy by investing in Ontario's talented workforce and creating the conditions for long-term economic growth."
MPP Victor Fedeli (Nipissing)
Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade

"The City of Brockville is very excited and proud to welcome Leclerc to our community. The economic investment and employment surge that will be created by Leclerc will bring a major boost to our economy. The city would like to express its thanks to Leclerc for choosing Brockville. We look forward to continuing to work with Leclerc as they set up and build their business here. The city would also like to thank the St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission for its hard work at bringing this major opportunity to Brockville. This truly shows the success of our regional partnership approach to economic development which will benefit our entire region."
Mayor Mike Kalivas
City of Brockville

"As a founding member of the St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission and as someone who worked with our team on this exciting project, I am thrilled to welcome Leclerc to our communities. Being able to attract such an iconic, family-owned Canadian company shows the importance of working jointly. We succeed when we work together. This is a testament to what the Corridor is doing?with the strong support of the provincial government?to boost our entire regional economy. And when we bring in a major employer like this, all of our member municipalities along the St. Lawrence River are winners."
Mayor Brett Todd
Town of Prescott/SLCEDC Board Member

"Attracting good jobs and good industries like Leclerc to our region is exactly what our goal has been all along with the Corridor. This is a great day for all six of our member municipalities."
David Beatty
CEO Canarm/SLCEDC Board Vice-Chairman/Brockville City Councillor

"We are so happy to see job creation in Eastern Ontario and Brockville, and to be able to support a company with deep roots in Canada. Across the entire country, we are seeing strong demand accelerate industrial asset values and rental rates upwards. It is extremely tight and challenging in Ontario and Quebec to find large format, immediately available opportunities. So we are very excited for Groupe Leclerc for securing this location to expand their Canadian operations, and we look forward to future collaborations with the St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission."
Kyle Hanna
Vice-Chairman, CBRE Limited

"This is great news for our entire region. We are replacing P&G with a fourth-generation, family-owned Canadian cookie and snack leader in Leclerc. A multinational food processing giant has recognized our price advantage, our location advantage, and most importantly, our people advantage. Here in the Corridor, we are competing and we are winning."
Charlie Mignault
Commissioner, St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission

About Leclerc
Leclerc is a Quebec City-based, privately owned fifth-generation company that was established in 1905 and is currently expanding rapidly in the US and Canada. Currently under the direction of Denis Leclerc, the company has sales in excess of $750MM, putting them squarely in the top 1% in Canada in terms of privately held corporate revenue generation. Their largest customers include Costco, Loblaws, Aldi Grocery Stores, Kroger, and HEB.

About the SLCEDC
The St. Lawrence Corridor Economic Commission (SLCEDC) consists of the six municipalities of the City of Brockville and the Town of Prescott, and the Townships of Augusta, Edwardsburgh-Cardinal, Elizabethtown-Kitley, and Front of Yonge. Formed in 2017, the SLCEDC focuses on the attraction of new industrial and commercial employers to the region, increasing the quantity and quality of job opportunities for our residents, along with assisting our existing business to expand.

SOURCE St Lawrence Corridor Economic Development Commission