Invest in Middlesex Fall 2010
Welcome to the Invest in Middlesex Fall Newsletter. This quarterly e-newsletter has been designed for local businesses, prospective investors and our economic development partners.
Take a minute to get caught up on all the latest news and learn more about the opportunities available to you in Middlesex County. Also this fall, watch for the upcoming “Pump Up Your Business” Workshops we are offering in partnership with the Middlesex Business Help Centre. The first session – Social Media Boot Camp will be held on Wednesday, November 3.
Take a minute to get caught up on all the latest news and learn more about the opportunities available to you in Middlesex County.
- Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
- About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
- Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
- Rural Internet
- Workforce Development: It’s a numbers game
-
Featured Property
Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
In a world hungry for clean, renewable energy, a project near Ilderton is making great strides toward achieving that goal.
Researchers from the University of Western Ontario are developing ways to turn agricultural waste products into fuel, a process that holds great promise and could be used in many applications.
“There is a lot of potential here,” says Cedric Briens, an engineering professor at UWO and the Director of Research and Development at the Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources. “We’ve mastered a process to turn biomass, like corn stover, into bio-oil that can be used today as fuel. And there are spin-off companies being developed already based on this technology.”
The Institute, known as ICFAR (as in I See Far), is the research home for 20 graduate engineering students, as well as a handful of post-doctoral students, technicians and professors. It is supported by a $5-million investment from the Ontario government and opened officially in October, 2009.
The research focuses on a process known as pyrolysis, which is used to transform agricultural, forestry and food residues into fuel. By heating items such as corn stover (stalks and leaves left behind after corn is harvested), wood branches, bark and grasses to temperatures of 400 to 600 centigrade, ICFAR researchers produce something called bio-oil.
In its raw form, bio-oil contains a lot of water so it’s not an ideal fuel in that form. However, researchers have developed a fractional condensation method of cooling the oil in temperature steps which removes the water and leaves a substance that is pure bio-oil.
“People could take that oil today and use it as fuel,” Briens says. The only drawback is that it is more corrosive than traditional fuel oil, so machinery burning it requires stainless steel lines and injectors. That is expensive and impractical in most cases, so research is underway at ICFAR and elsewhere to make the bio-oil compatible with existing industrial equipment.
“It’s called drop-in fuels, something that can be substituted straight up for another fuel,” Briens says. “That’s what we’re working on here and with collaborators in other labs.”
In addition to bio-oil, pyrolysis also produces a solid called bio-char. It is a terrific fertilizer, which is important to farmers who want to collect corn stover and other agriculture waste to process for bio-oil. Traditionally, that waste would be plowed back into the field, providing essential nutrients for the next growing season. By applying the bio-char to the field, the farmer can return nutrients to the soil and also benefit from burning or selling bio-oil.
Working with Dorchester-based Weavercroft International, ICFAR has spun off a related company that is already selling its product internationally. Agri-Therm Inc. builds portable pyrolysis machines.
“We take the process to the farm, instead of asking the farmer to transport his corn stover and other waste to a plant some distance away,” Briens says. Taking the burner to the farm makes the process economically viable and gives a farmer the option of essentially creating a closed energy loop. If he converts his equipment to stainless steel, he can burn bio-oil made on his farm from his crops.
Weavercroft sells cattle all over the world. Its contacts have helped Agri-Therm gain a foothold in foreign markets. “We’ve sold a unit in Mexico and we’re ready to sell more,” says Briens.
Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
Rural Internet
Workforce Development: It’s a numbers game
Featured Property
About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
Janet Gibbons had a decision to make.
The building she owned in downtown Strathroy, the building that housed her law firm, Jones Gibbons and Reis, needed some serious repairs. The bricks were starting to crumble and fall in chunks into the street.
“It wasn’t just unsightly,” she recalls. “It was worrisome. It needed to be repaired.”
Gibbons owns the building and practises law with her partner, Joe Reis. She had two options. One was a relatively inexpensive cosmetic repair that would have kept the bricks from falling into the street, solving the immediate problem.
Her other option was more costly. She could do a full restoration of the building, removing paint from the bricks that had been there in some form for more than 100 years, replacing windows and reworking the Front Street entrance.
She was leaning toward the less costly option when she heard about Strathroy-Caradoc’s About Face Façade Improvement Plan. With the funds she received from the municipality, she embarked on a full restoration of the building. The project will conclude this fall with the installation of a new door, the bow of sorts on a gift to the Town of Strathroy.
“I think the town gets more out of this than the money it puts in,” says Gibbons. “People feel a certain sense of ownership with these old buildings, and they like to see them brought back.”
The Façade Improvement Plan pays up to 50 per cent of the costs of restoring and improving the exteriors of buildings in designated sections of Strathroy, Mount Brydges and Melbourne, all within the Municipality of Strathroy-Caradoc. It began four years ago and originally was capped at $5,000 per project. Council has since removed that cap, paving the way for larger projects such as Gibbons’ building at 39 Front Street in Strathroy.
“It was hugely helpful,” she says. “When we started the repairs, I didn’t know how bad it was going to be until we were well into it. Knowing there was some money coming back really reduced the level of stress. It helped me decide to go ahead and do the full restoration.”
Council approves the program budget each year, so it fluctuates, but on average it contributes $30,000 to $35,000 each year, according to Strathroy-Caradoc Planner Paul Hicks.
“It’s been a popular program,” he says. “We’ve had some great projects, but there has been a side effect as well. I think it’s sparked a discussion with property owners about their buildings and how they could be restored. It got some discussion going.”
In the first year of the project, 2006, nine projects received funding. Since then, the average is five or six, each doing something unique to a building in need of some attention. In some cases, it is a relatively simple facelift. In others, it’s a major restoration of a building that wasn’t even being used previously.
The program has no formal end date, but it must be renewed each year by council.
“We hope one day the program just won’t be needed anymore because so many of our buildings will have been restored,” says Hicks.
The About Face Façade Improvement Plan was designed to assist businesses in the commercial districts of Strathroy-Caradoc to revitalize their buildings. The community program benefits residents by creating attractive streetscapes, community employment opportunities and a stable tax base for the municipality.
Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
Rural Internet
Workforce Development: It’s a numbers game
Featured Property
Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
After several years spent operating in temporary locations, the Lucan Area Heritage & Donnelly Museum has found a permanent home in downtown Lucan. As a result, thousands of tourists are finding the museum, looking not only for information about the famous Donnelly family but also about the heritage of the entire area.
More people than ever before visited the museum this year, primarily from May to October when it is open daily. During the rest of the year, it opens by appointment for groups visits, of which are there are several every month.
“So far this year, we’ve had nearly 5,500 visitors,” says Museum Manager and Curator Laura Garner. “In 2009, we had about 4,000, and the year before that in our old location we had 1,000.”
That’s big news in the Village of Lucan, where businesses of many kinds are feeling the economic impact of the museum’s increasing popularity.
“The owner of the restaurant next door, the Stuffed Zucchini, told me she had to hire more people because of the museum traffic,” Garner says.
A recent study of tourism in Middlesex County calculated the impact to the local economy of $147 for every overnight visitor to the area. Same day visitors contributed $55 to the local economy.
Garner has met people from all over the world who come to the museum, primarily to learn about the Donnellys.
“The biggest number from outside Canada is from Ireland,” she says. That’s where the Donnelly clan originated and where there are still distant relatives today. “We’ve also had visitors from all over Europe and as far as South Africa.”
Most, however, come from elsewhere in Ontario, from surrounding communities in Southwestern Ontario and beyond. There are numerous bus groups, from schools and social clubs that spend a day in the Lucan area.
“They start at the museum,” says Garner. “I do a tour and they watch a video about the family. Then if they want, they can take their bus on the Vigilance Bus Tour, which goes to the Donnelly residence and the cemetery.”
In September, the museum hosted an Irish TV crew making a documentary on the Donnellys. “People in Ireland know about the family and are very interested in the story,” Garner says.
The new museum was built on the site of the former Central Hotel, which burned down in 1995. It is built in a style reminiscent of the hotel. Construction began in 2008, and the museum began operating there the next year, moving from smaller quarters nearby.
The new location gave the operators of the museum -- the Lucan Area Heritage Society -- an opportunity to showcase other parts of the area’s history. The museum dedicates half its floor space to an extensive collection of Donnelly artifacts, most of which were donated by Donnelly expert Ray Fazakas.
The other half of the museum is used to display a rotating series of exhibits about the area. The most popular exhibit to date showcased the area’s military history, documenting many of the area’s veterans and the sacrifices they made in Canada’s wars.
Behind the museum, there is a barn and log cabin from the Donnelly era, both accessible to visitors.
Plans are under way for more local area exhibits, including a commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Lucan Plowing Match. In 2012, the museum plans a major exhibit to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.
Next year, the museum will feature more Donnelly exhibits, including touchscreen computers that will lead visitors through the history with quizzes and trivia.
Although the story of the Donnelly family and their demise at the hands of a variety of enemies was a very sensitive issue for many years, Garner says those wounds have largely healed.
“The museum itself has been well received and is very popular,” she says.
Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
Rural Internet
Workforce Development: It’s a numbers game
Featured Property
High Speed Internet Expanded
Recognizing the important role high-speed Internet access plays today, both in business and residential settings, the County of Middlesex has partnered with Bell Aliant to extend wireless coverage throughout the County.
Businesses and home owners can now subscribe to high-speed, wireless Internet service for less than $50/month, using a provided modem. Over the last year, Bell has erected Inukshuk wireless equipment on 14 existing and one new tower across the County, blanketing the County with an Internet signal.
The project began at the request of the County, which sought and received approval for up to $1 million of the $3 million project costs from the OMAFRA Rural Connections program of the Provincial Government in order to expand Internet access in Middlesex County.
“It’s a great thing for the residents of the County and for small business owners,” says Margaret Rule, CEO of the Middlesex County Library Board and manager of the County’s Internet project. For many businesses, it’s the perfect solution to providing high-speed Internet where other options do not exist.”
Like any wireless signal, the Bell Internet signal is stronger is some areas than in others. Where it is strongest, customers can use an in-home modem that comes in the mail and simply plugs in to begin operating. Where the signal is not as strong, a technician will install an outdoor modem, often on a rooftop, which collects the signal and routes it into the home or business.
Installation costs are the responsibility of the subscriber. However, in cases where an extender is needed to reach the signal, the project has a fund to help subsidize thse extra costs. The project goal is to offer affordable high-speed access to all parts of the County at rates comparable to those paid by high-speed users in urban centres.
“Businesses need high-speed Internet,” Rule says. “And with so many people working at home, it needs to be available there too. We began trying to get this done a few years ago, and we’re thrilled it’s finally complete. We wanted to make it available for any business or individual.”
Anyone interested in the service can call Bell Aliant on a special Middlesex service phone number (866-242-0008) or visit the Middlesex County Rural Connections Site.
Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
Rural Internet
Workforce Development: It’s a numbers game
Featured Property
Workforce Development: It’s a Numbers Game
Keeping track of a local workforce is as difficult as it is important. Employers, educators and workers all want to know as much as possible about who is being hired to do what work, but getting the information can be a challenge.
That’s why a new employer survey in Middlesex County holds such promise for so many stakeholders.
Since April the Elgin, Middlesex, Oxford Workforce Planning and Development Board has been surveying companies throughout the region on a monthly basis. It asks four simple questions: Did you hire anyone this month? If so, in what job? Did you let anyone go this month? If so, in what job?
“We’re keeping it as simple as we can, to encourage people to take a few moments and fill it in every month,” says Debra Mountenay, executive director of the board. “There are lots of other questions I’d like to ask, but this really gets to the heart of what’s happening in the job market.”
The board is funded by Employment Ontario, an initiative of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. It also does contract work for other ministries, including the Ministry of Education.
It’s one of 25 such boards across the province, all part of the non-profit Local Boards Network, that work on a number of employment issues including training, partnering and gathering information.
“Everything we do is concentrated on the workforce,” says Mountenay, in her 11th year with the board. “We think about the future of the current workforce.”
One of the most important things companies look for when deciding whether to expand in a given area or move to a new location is workforce data.
“All the things we use to talk about – utilities, Internet, transportation – those are a given today. They’re basic and lots of places have them to offer. What companies really want to know is whether they can find the people they need to grow and be successful. That’s the kind of information we gather and provide.”
In the past, employer surveys occurred in conjunction with a census, every five years, or possibly annually if the census information wasn’t current enough. Mountenay says neither option is good enough anymore.
“Too much can change from one month to the next. Look at October, 2008, when the economy crashed. You couldn’t wait a year for employment information after that. You need it right away.”
That’s why the board launched its monthly survey, the results of which are available instantly to employers across the region.
“When you get monthly information, it’s a lot easier to see trends and make plans based on them.”
Several other regions have joined with Elgin Middlesex Oxford to conduct the same survey, and Mountenay hopes more will join in the coming months, so they can coordinate their reports and cover a greater portion of the province.
Results of the employer survey and all the board surveys are available at www.localboard.on.ca .If you would to contribute to this process please contact us at info@localboard.on.ca or 519-672-3499 with your contact information including your email address.
Research Centre at Forefront of Renewable Energy Technology
About Face in Strathroy-Caradoc
Donnelly Fever Creates Tourism Opportunities
Rural Internet
Workforce Development: It’s a numbers game
Featured Property
145 Queen Street, Strathroy
Sale Price: $1,700,000
- 163,115 sf facility on 19.65 acres
- Includes 4,820 sf office,and
- 158,295 sf manufacturing / warehouse
Contact: Chris Harris, CB Richard Ellis (519.286.2010)
See Full Listing
See All Listings
Mentors & Sponsors needed for the Oxford International Youth Robotics Challenge (OIYRC)
The OIYRC is a community-based partnership that encourages youth of high school age to consider careers in engineering, technology or the skilled trades.
This is the 5th year for the challenge and Middlesex is respresented by Strathroy District Collegiate Institute.
Sponsorship/Mentorship opportunities are available.
Contact Kathryn Tull for more information
Expo Event: November 3, 2010 in Woodstock
© 2011 Middlesex County. Home | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map 
County Of Middesex Website
399 Ridout Street North
London, Ontario
N6A 2P1
This project was made possible through financial assistance from the Government of Canada.