Heather Wright/The Independent

“How much longer?”

That’s the question Warwick Township Mayor Todd Case raised during the annual meeting of the corporation which runs the Sarnia-Lambton Western Research Park.

Lambton County councillors got a good look at the books of the corporation and the plan of the research park’s board to turn around the organization’s financial problems May 6.

The county’s treasurer, Karen Bettridge, says the research park had $16.8 million in debt at the end of April 2025. It’s bank balance was also in the red by $1.6 million.

“These numbers are brutal, absolutely brutal,” said Sarnia City/County Councillor Bill Dennis, calling it a “disgrace” that the county continues to put money into the park adding it should be sold.

But Dr. Katherine Albion, executive director of the research park, says they have made progress. Since May 2024, she says 17 new companies established at the park, creating 172 new technology-based jobs including 30 new technology-based jobs to date in 2026.

Albion says 71 per cent of the space is rented with a new tenant, BM Ross and Associates, moving in soon. The park, she added has attracted 11 new companies this year including three from outside Lambton.

“We have maintained our research occupancy at 85 per cent and continue to attract innovative research and commercialization projects to the park that have the potential to grow their region’s industrial economy,” she said.

Despite Albion’s optimism, county councillors are concerned Lambton continues to pour money into the park, which brought in $2.8 million in rent in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. That was not enough to cover its expenses.

Case says it is clear “efforts have been made” to improve the financial situation at the research park, “but how much longer do we continue to make red ink, after all it is the taxpayers’ money…how much further do we go?

“We’re really suffering financially on this,” Case added, suggesting it may be time for the county to look at selling the park.

Sarnia City/County Councillor Chrissy McRoberts agreed. “Two years ago when we received statements, it was hopefully by 2028 there would be more business. Now we’re at 2030, we hope there will be more business there. How long are we going to go…because there is no guarantee.”

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who chairs the Research Park’s board of directors, agreed the losses are “painful” but believes the board has a clear path to financial viability and more job creation down the road.

Bradley said some councillors are “ignoring the jobs that are being created” adding the research park is bringing about “diversity of the economy.

“Yes, it’s painful. I don’t like these numbers, but at the same time, I recognize the long-term vision – the same reason we created this park back in 2003 – because we were not going to get assistance from other governments to create jobs; we were going to have to lead the way of being innovative and there is risk in that,” said Bradley.

He added right now, if the county were to put the park up for sale, the market value would not cover the $16.8 million debt.

Bradley urged councillors to continue with the “exit plan” for the next five to 10 years. “It is one of the biggest tools we have to bring industries in here…I would hope that you would leave the corporation to go forward and to create those jobs that we’ve indicated to you are coming.”

During budget in March, council restructured the debt for the research park for one year with the understanding the county’s support of the park would be reviewed then.