Chatham-Kent is a community of 104,000 located in the heart of Southwestern
Ontario just minutes from the Windsor/Detroit border. Workforce
availability is never a problem with over 1 million Canadians living
within one-hour of Chatham-Kent’s borders.
Chatham-Kent
businesses appreciate the skilled workforce, the ease to Canadian and
US markets, the low business operating costs and the wide range of greenfield and existing businesses. Click here to open the graphic below:
Easy
access to Highway 401 and the proximity to three major border crossings
coupled with competitive land costs have made Chatham-Kent a popular
location for business.
Advancement of Agriculture
Chatham-Kent
businesses are at the forefront of agricultural research and
innovation. Chatham-Kent is set is one of the richest agricultural areas
in Canada and is enhanced by the research and support of University of
Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus.
Alternative Energy
Chatham-Kent
is positioned as a “leader” within the Province of Ontario’s green
energy strategy as awarded with the 2009 Leadership Award by the
Canadian Wind Energy Association.
Wind
projects are a growing opportunity for the rural sector. Kruger
Energy’s 101-megawatt Port Alma project completed construction and was
fully operational in 2008. GenGrowth-Boralex has four Chatham-Kent projects under construction which were scheduled to be fully operating in 2010. Several other wind energy and solar energy developers are in various stages of development.
Education and Training
Chatham-Kent
is home to St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology, Thames
Campus who seeks to meet the educational needs of students and the
training needs of business and industry. A range of post-secondary,
post-diploma, apprenticeships, continuous learning and contract training
programs and services are available in the areas of technology and
trades, health, community services, adult education, applied arts and
business.
University of Guelph, Ridgetown
Campus is located within Chatham-Kent. The campus delivers education,
research and extension focused on agriculture and environmental
management. The campus has 600 full-time students enrolled in degree,
diploma or certificate programs and over 6,000 alumni.
Economic Development Services
Chatham-Kent Economic Development Services provides confidential business
assistance with available site and building information, community
briefings and tours, statistics, research, grant writing and customized
information packages.
Locating your business in Chatham-Kent is a winning proposition!