Ford breaks ground on $100M distribution centre east of Ottawa
Ford is coming to Eastern Ontario.
On September 17, various dignitaries from the public and private sectors were on hand at a ground breaking ceremony to officially start construction of a 540,000-square foot distribution centre for the automotive giant. The building is being built in Casselman, a community east of Ottawa along Highway 417, at a cost of $100 million.
On hand at the ceremony were Ontario Minister of Francophone Affairs Caroline Mulroney, United Counties of Prescott and Russell Warden Stéphane Sarrazin, Casselman Mayor Daniel Lafleur, La Nation Mayor François St-Amour as well as representatives from Montreal-based development team of Rosefellow Developments and Bertone Development Corporation.
The building is located on the south side of Highway 417, near the interchange with St-Albert Road and the intersection with Route 700. It’s an ideal location for those needing access to the busy corridor between Ottawa and Montreal, and to Highway 401 in the direction of Toronto.
The project itself is expected to create as many as 150 jobs, and will allow Ford to supply same-day parts delivery to its dealers throughout Eastern Canada. Ford has previously said that it will replace its single distribution centre in Bramalea, which is located north of Toronto, with two new facilities – one in Eastern Ontario, and the other to the west of Toronto. The Casselman building is scheduled to begin operations in February 2023.
Although the province itself is not an investor in the project, it has said it will continue to support those municipalities involved in the work.
“Open for business is more than just a slogan, it’s a core value for our government,” said Mulroney.
The project itself is part of a larger development that includes two additional industrial buildings of 400,000 square feet and 200,000 square feet. The development is being built by Crevier-Mancini Construction of Vaudreuil-Dorion and Leeswood Construction of Mississauga.
Featured image: Aerial view of the planned development site in Casselman. (Bertone Development Corporation)