Lambton County Invests in Bioindustrial Innovation.

From Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer.

Lambton County is set to become an investor in a not-for-profit agency helping new bio-chemical companies set up their first manufacturing sites.

County council recently authorized finalizing a $2.5-million five-year loan and a $2-million investment in a Bioindustrial Innovation Canada's investment fund so it can fully access $4.5 million in matching federal funds.

The loan includes $1 million advanced to the Sarnia-based agency in March after it approached the county for help.

In 2016, Bioindustrial Innovation Canada was approved for $5.5 million in federal matching funding but only $1 million of its own funds available, so it asked Lambton County to loan it the remaining $4.5 million.

The $1-million advance by the county allowed the agency to secure matching federal funding set to lapse March 31.

John Innis, general manager of the county's finance division, said that when county staff were looking into details of the loan it became clear a loan of $2.5 million was the most the agency's cash flow 'could reasonably be expected' to support.

Link to the rest here.

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St. Clair Township, Local Municipalities Make Quality of Life List.

From Jake Jeffrey, Blackburn News.

St. Clair Township leads a local contingent of municipalities to crack moneysense.ca’s list of top places to live inCanada.

The list ranks St. Clair 242nd out of 417 municipalities and cities across the country.

Sarnia came in at 306th, Lambton Shores was 346th and Chatham-Kent 324th.

It considers several socio-economic factors, and mentions St. Clair as having affordable housing, low crime rate and good weather as positive factors.

Mayor Steve Arnold says a community can’t thrive without everyone doing their part.

Link to the rest here.

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Vulnerable Stretch of Sarnia Beach to be Protected.

From Tyler Kula, Sarnia Observer.

One of Sarnia’s most vulnerable stretches of Lake Huron shoreline is about to get a bit of protection.

Up to 150 metres of the Kenwick Street to Helen Avenue stretch north of Old Lakeshore Road – partially washed out in the massive St. Patrick’s Day storm of 1973 – is in line for new armour stone protections against high waters and strong winds that have eroded up to five metres in the area in the past five years, said Girish Sankar, director of water resources with the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority.

“The shoreline is very unstable,” he said.

The conservation authority has been applying for funding for repairs to the 600-650-metre stretch in Bright’s Grove, he said, since a 2012 study was commissioned amid complaints about deterioration.

The authority recently received $300,000 from the Ministry of Natural Resources’ Water Erosion Control Infrastructure Program.

Link to the rest here.

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