Wit Ventures: January 2018

Saturday 13 January 2018

Sarnia Municipal Planning Changes Sought for Commercial-Scale Biochem Plant.

From Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer.

Municipal planning changes are being sought for vacant land at the Arlanxeo site in Sarnia where a California-based company wants to build a commercial-scale demonstration plant.

A public meeting is set for Feb. 5 at 4 p.m. at Sarnia City Hall for an official planning amendment and rezoning requested for 0.85- hectare (2.1-acre) parcel of land Arlanxeo is seeking to severe from its property on Vidal Street.

It’s where Origin Materials plans to build a 'pioneer' plant where wood chips, cardboard and other bio-based materials will be used to produce building block chemicals used to make plastics and other products.

The Sacramento company, formed in 2008, already operates a pilot plant at the Western Sarnia-Lambton Research Park in Sarnia and has been recruiting staff for the demonstration plant to be built at Arlanxeo.

“They’re actually just taking a portion of the existing Arlanxeo lot,” said Alan Shaw, Sarnia’s director of planning.

The proposed location is close to where BioAmber built its plant at the Arlanxeo site.

Link to the rest here.

Image. Zach Neal.

Thank you for reading.

Thursday 11 January 2018

New Senior's Projects for Sarnia.

From Tara Jeffrey, The Sarnia Journal.

Two large housing projects announced last year have fueled hopes for an economic boost in the city’s south end and downtown core.

An Oakville-based retirement home company is preparing to build an assisted living complex at the Bayside Centre in the heart of downtown Sarnia.

Seasons Retirement Communities plans to build 140 to 160 suites on the 3.5-hectare (8.5-acre) property. The company has also purchased several Christina Street buildings between George and Lochiel streets as part of its “overall master plan for the Bayside Mall,” CEO Rick Smyth told The Journal, pointing to some 75 full-time and part-time jobs when construction is complete.

“I’m very excited about it,” longtime merchant Jim Hall told The Journal in November. The owner of Sarnia Coin Exchange closed a real estate deal on his Christina Street building and is preparing to vacate in February.

“Part of the reason I agreed to sell is that it’s going to be a really positive thing,” he said.

The mall opened 1982 as the Sarnia Eaton Centre, thrived for years, fell on hard times after Eaton’s closed, and slid to occupancy rates of 30% and lower.

Link to the rest here.

From their own website.

Image Credit. Seasons Retirement Communities.

Thank you for reading.

Shirley D. Neal

Shirley has over 30 years of experience in such diverse businesses as financial planning, manufacturing, and supply. Her education includes a B.A., B.ED., M.ED., C.F.P., N.L.P. and the home inspector’s course as well as having her AZ license for five years. Her family home has given her and her husband the opportunity to do extensive renovation and repairs thereby increasing the value about $100,000 in ten years. She has been able to see firsthand how much a sensible and cost efficient renovations can add to the value of a home. Shirley has chosen joint ventures because she thinks that her experiences an help others achieve their goals and maximize the profits for both parties. In 1979, Shirley became involved in a small group of women who started a metal manufacturing company making small deep drawn metal parts for the automobile companies in Windsor. They took the company from start up to over $400,000 in sales in five years. That was a lot of parts since the parts sold for only five cents per each. In 1985 they sold the company to one of their customers. Whether it was selling mutual funds, teaching foster parents how to recruit foster parents, or working for Tony Robbins, Shirley has put more than 100 percent into every endeavour she was involved in.