Media Release
For Immediate Release March 31, 2023
New Jobs Coming to Augusta
Maitland, Ontario – Mayor Jeff Shaver shared good news for Augusta as part of his Economic Development update given at the annual Mayor’s Breakfast, attended by over 70 people in Maitland.
“Over the last few years, our township has encountered a couple of ventures that did not materialize due to a changing world. Therefore, we have re-evaluated where we can exceed in areas that add value to our residents and our surrounding community partners. For example, we continue to have joint tri-council meetings with Prescott and Edwardsburgh-Cardinal to address issues such as housing, doctor shortages, new business relations and recreation ideas within the South Grenville area.
Today, our council is very pleased to share our progress and to proudly say that “We are open to business”. This would not have been possible without the hard work of our Augusta staff and volunteers. Therefore, we are pleased to announce more than one hundred jobs will be coming to Augusta Township beginning in May of this year. I am very pleased to introduce the following companies:”
V6 Agronomy Inc.
V6 Agronomy Inc., (with operations in Augusta, Ontario and Wilcox, Saskatchewan) develops and distributes specialty crop nutrients for the Canadian prairies.
In order to address the increasing demand for their fertilizer technologies, a 6 month feasibility study was undertaken in 2022 to evaluate the viability of on shoring manufacturing to eastern Ontario from the European Union. The results were overwhelmingly positive.
Vanguard Crop Nutrition Inc. (VCN Canada) has been founded as their new, dedicated production arm. Construction of the first-of-its-kind granulation facility will take place in Augusta Township to supply both existing domestic and budding international markets. Operations will also include toll manufacturing for industry partners. Leveraging the local seaway, rail and highway logistics, VCN will operate as a net-zero facility that produces state of the art nutrient technologies for the regenerative agricultural era.
A ground-breaking event will be held on May 17th at which time additional information will be provided. V6 Agronomy will endeavour to create 32 full-time jobs over the next few years.
Mayor Shaver noted, “They look forward to sharing details regarding their management team, financial partners, construction timelines, job creation and much more. I would like to thank Ryan Brophy for choosing Augusta to start and grow his business.”
Eastern Ontario Mushroom Producers
Eastern Ontario Mushroom Producers has started to build the most sophisticated and future proof substrate plant in the world. This plant has substantial advantages above commonly used facilities, including,
• The way it controls the process is much more efficient resulting in less use of raw materials for the substrate.
• Due to the higher efficiency the process time is shorter resulting in less process tunnels which means a more compact building.
• Compared to other facilities this one makes use of a moving floor in the tunnels. By automating this system it will result in a safer working space and less emissions.
• Compact buildings make odour treatment much easier. The facility uses state of the art odour treatment techniques like a horizontal air scrubber and biofilters.
• The entire design utilizes energy efficient techniques.
• Filling the substrate tunnels is done with new advancements, resulting in the best quality of compost with the most efficient use of bio materials and energy.
Mayor Shaver stated, “the Eastern Ontario Mushroom Producers Augusta Mushroom Compost operation will provide compost to 3 partner farms, with the ability to grow 40 million pounds of mushrooms, more efficiently and effectively by reducing the growing cycle by 5 weeks. At full build out, two buildings, with a total footprint of 184,000 sq. feet propose to employ 20 people with an investment of $68 Million. Please join me in welcoming Fernando and Mike Medeiros to Augusta Township.
Growing Augusta
Mayor Shaver went on to discuss another promising project. “Unfortunately, due to the timing of our breakfast, we cannot provide further details about the company at this time. The company will be situated on 180 acres within our Industrial Park lands. However, the company is very much in the agricultural market and will use the distribution network in our area. The company proposes to employ 50 to start with the potential of 400 employees at the site. They look forward to sharing more details on “Growing Augusta” shortly.”
Update on the Maitland Tower Site
On behalf of Philip Ling, Founder of the Maitland Tower Project, Mayor Shaver provided the following update.
As of the end of March, construction at the Maitland Tower site is full speed ahead. Anyone driving through Maitland can see changes week by week. In our first building, the Chart House, we have added the windows, have trenched in upgraded hydro power and added a pipe for a high speed internet feed, and are now building out the indoors and outdoors. We are naturalizing the space between the Tower and the Chart House and are also transforming the garage by the water, an early step in our “water journey”. We hope it will become a research hub where scientists, teachers, students, our community members and beyond come together to share their knowledge, to learn, to experience, to share their excitement and energy, somewhere we all find our place in connecting to the River and participating in creating a healthier future for nature and people.
All of us at the Maitland Tower have trouble believing it has already been over 5 years piecing the property back together again, starting with saving the structure of the Tower, and now transforming the Chart House and the garage and regenerating the shoreline.
Our vision is for the site to play a meaningful role in revitalizing Maitland, Augusta, and the Brockville/Prescott area by inviting our community and visitors to join in research, arts, education, cultural, commercial, recreational and environmentally regenerative activities that share the wonders of nature, our rich and intriguing history, and our amazing St. Lawrence River.
Those exciting future possibilities are taking a back seat for now as we focus 100% on construction. Our goal is that by fall we can host a community ribbon cutting where we share our progress in person at the site, with an exhibit in the Chart House showcasing the site’s history. We look forward to having everyone join us and hear their ideas on how we can all deepen our connection with nature and the St. Lawrence River in this special place.
Mayor Shaver concluded his update by stating, “Ladies and gentlemen stayed tuned. Good things happen in Augusta.”
Contact:
Jeff Shaver, Mayor
jshaver@augusta.ca
Steve McDonald, CAO
smcdonald@augusta.ca