Federal Government Provides $12-Million for Biomass R & D.

Biomass power station in Metz, France. Photo by Bava Alcide57, (Wiki.)

From The Sarnia Observer's Paul Morden. Sarnia-Lambton's hunt for bio-industry jobs received a $12-million boost Monday from the federal government. Navdeep Bains, the minister of innovation, science and economic development, announced the funding Monday for Sarnia-based Bioindustrial Innovation Canada (BIC) during an event at the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park. Navdeep Bains, photo by Dave Chan, (Wiki.) In June, Ontario announced $3 million in new funding for the initiative, created in 2008 to help Sarnia-Lambton diversify its fossil fuel-based industrial base by attracting companies making fuel and chemicals from plants and other organic raw materials. BIC was formed with $15 million in federal funding, and the new funding from Ottawa and Queen's Park is expected to help keep it running for the next four or five years, said Murray McLaughlin, the agency's outgoing executive director.

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Cruise Ship Pearl Mist Passes Under Bluewater Bridges Near Sarnia

The cruise ship Pearl Mist passes under the Bluewater Bridges on the St. Clair River at Port Huron, Michigan and Sarnia, Ontario. Heading north into Lake Huron for the next port of call At Midland, Michigan.

Discover Sarnia-Lambton.

What exactly lies beyond the signs on the 402 Highway or across the Blue Water Bridge? With internationally renowned Blue Flag Beaches, craft breweries, and a buzzing arts and culture scene, there's more to #SarniaLambton than you might expect. Discover for yourself: http://snip.ly/x8jvi #ExperiencesThatMatter


Discover Sarnia-Lambton was produced for Tourism Sarnia-Lambton with funding made possible by the Municipal Immigration Information Online Program, via the Live In Lambton Portal Committee (Committee includes: The County of Lambton, Tourism Sarnia-Lambton, Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership, Sarnia-Lambton Workforce Development, YMCA Immigrant Services, Local Immigration Partnership) with additional funding provided by Southwest Ontario Tourism Corporation.

Changes Coming to Howard Watson Trail

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From Carl Hnatyshyn, Postmedia Network

Changes are coming to Sarnia's Howard Watson Nature Trail, according to Bluewater Trails committee head Tony Barrand and Return The Landscape's Felicia Syer — changes that will make the trail more accessible for those with disabilities or mobility issues, more appealing for families, cyclists and joggers and a lot more environmentally friendly.

Barrand and Syer spoke about the 16-kilometre long pathway during this week’s meeting of Green Drinks Sarnia.

The Bluewater Trails committee, a committee of Sarnia city council, oversees 60 kilometres of trails in Sarnia, but Barrand said the Howard Watson Nature Trail is one of Sarnia’s natural gems, a natural space used by tens of thousands of people every year.

“In 1994, the City of Sarnia had students count the number of trail users between June and September,” he said. “Back then, the trail had 10,000 users over the summer. I think if we did counting now, we'd probably be well over 20,000 users. More and more people want to be active, so there are many more people using the trail.”


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Guelph Company Purchases Five Sarnia Apartment Buildings.

Photo by MMSarnia, (Wiki Commons.)

From Dave Dentinger, Blackburn News.


A Guelph-based company has snapped up five Sarnia apartment properties with a total of 346 units.

The purchase by Skyline Apartment REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) was made Wednesday, (July 6) bringing the company’s total number of apartment units in Sarnia to 668.

The newly-acquired properties are at 125 College Ave. S., 225 and 233 Capel St., 811 and 817 Devine St., 835 Devine St., and 849 Devine St.


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Local Real Estate Market Stoked with Fifty-Million Month.

From  Melanie Irwin, Blackburn News.



Speculation that Nova Chemicals might build a new world class polyethylene plant in Sarnia-Lambton has further stoked the hot real estate market locally.

221 properties sold in June, up 14% compared to the same month last year with dollar volume hitting an unprecedented $52.8-million.

Real Estate Board Vice President Steve Park says it’s the second time the $50-million mark has been reached over the past 12 months.


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Positive Economic Signs for Sarnia-Lambton

From the Sarnia Observer.



There are positive economic signs in the results of a new survey of Sarnia-Lambton employers.

A total of 132 businesses participated locally in this year's EmployerOne Survey, an annual survey conducted in regions around the province outside of the Greater Toronto Area, according to Shauna Carr, executive director of the Sarnia Lambton Workforce Development Board.

“Our employers, and this is true across the western region, are very happy with our workforce,” Carr said.

This year, 66 per cent of the surveyed businesses rated the availability of qualified workers as good or excellent. That's up from 53 per cent last year.

“Out of our whole region, Sarnia-Lambton are the happiest with their available workforce,” Carr said.


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