Image

Up to 300 jobs could be created with new Dawn-Euphemia greenhouse

March 15, 2017

 

Up to 300 jobs will be created when a new greenhouse is built in Dawn-Euphemia.

Greenhill Produce from Chatham-Kent bought 100 acres at the corner of Oil Heritage Road and Edys Mill Line in 2016. It plans to build an $80 to $100 million operation to meet the growing demand for either peppers, tomatoes or cucumbers.

“Customers today are looking for a good quality product and a greenhouse can deliver that on a consistent basis,” says owner Justin Geertsma.

Geertsma has been working with the township to secure the services needed to run the operation which could be in operation by November 2017.

Dawn-Euphemia officials recently approached Enniskillen about increasing the water flow to the area. Enniskillen gets its water from Petrolia and resells it to Dawn-Euphemia. “Dawn-Euphemia is working on water supply,” he tells The Independent. Geertsma couldn’t say how much water would be needed but added “at our current greenhouse, we’ve done two water main expansions with the municipality and we expect to do the same in Lambton.”

The company is also looking for some details on natural gas. But Geertsma says the natural gas problems are minor compared to the difficulty greenhouse operators have in Chatham-Kent.

“Infrastructure has become quite a problem for us in Chatham-Kent,” he says. “We have been looking for five years for a site to expand on. Infrastructure, especially natural gas supplies, are maxed out.”

Hydro is another headache for growers. Greenhill uses hundreds of thousands of dollars in power each year. Some Leamington growers have publicly complained about Ontario’s rising costs and Geertsma admits it does reduce profitability. Many companies want to have year-round production but “that is getting harder to do. It’s something we would like to do, but that will be determined by the cost of hydro.”

The Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers’ Association has been looking for rate reductions, but so far without any relief. Some have announced expansions into the United States. But Geertsma is glad to have found a new home in Dawn-Euphemia. “I like where I live. I like Ontario… We like the community, we want to stay here.”

Greenhill may break ground on the operation this summer with the first plants springing up in November. Between 150 and 300 people will be employed at the greenhouse depending on what type of crop is grown.

For more reaction, see page 2.

Share This

Image
Front Page

Killer Bees’ Feasey to coach Maroons

July 12, 2025

Barry Wright/The Independent Alvinston Killer Bees star Brennan Feasey is the new head coach of the Sutherland Cup champion Chatham Maroons of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League. The new job came about after Richard Santos left the Maroons this week to become the new head coach of the U16 boys prep team with Biosteel Sports Academy in Windsor and

Read More

Image
Front Page

Still standing (with some help) after 200 years

July 12, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent When Abraham Smith and his wife, Anna Hoy, arrived on the shores of the St. Clair River, there was nothing but trees which blocked out the sun. The couple landed around what we now know as the St. Clair Parkway and Smith Line in 1820, along with two children and another family, and settled in the area.

Read More

Image
Front Page

Remembering Croton

July 12, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Harold Snary stands under a tree in the postal village of Croton. Those standing with him see a new, siding-clad school and church, a few homes and the traffic whizzing down Oakdale Road. At the corner of Oakdale and Croton Road, they might notice the building which used to be the general store. For most, this 39-person

Read More

Image
Front Page

Lambton lands part of 30×30 project

July 11, 2025

Heather Wright/The Independent Almost 700 acres of land along the Sydenham River, including some in Petrolia and Wawrick, will be recognized as conservation lands in Ontario. It’s part of an international plan to protect 30 per cent of the earth’s land and sea by 2030. Tim Payne, manager of forests for the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority, was contacted by

Read More