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The town's economic development officer, Jeanine Lassaline-Berglund, projects 388 new jobs over the next year, and she says that's a very conservative estimate.
"It includes past growth with Highbury Canco. What it doesn't include is growth that is expected now that their new funding application has been approved. That has the potential to put them at, we'll call it, 'Heinz level employment' or above," she says.
The numbers also don't include expected job growth in the greenhouse industry once a new transmission line is built in the southern part of Essex County. It only reflects numbers from organizations that have submitted anticipated hiring to town officials.
"We still have a significant number of organizations that are breaking ground and putting new buildings up and likely employing more people," says Lassaline-Berglund. "It could be way higher."
She isn't sure how much the jobs will pay but believes they'll pay anywhere from above the minimum wage to $60,000 annually.
Highbury Canco CEO Sam Diab has said the recent provincial announcement for $2.5-million will bring the Leamington plant's employment level to 350 workers. The company is also investing $20-million over the next four years for several new production lines.
The plant, under Heinz, employed approximately 700 full, part-time and seasonal workers when it closed two years ago.
