The warden of Antigonish Co. says a new business development shows the municipality is a great place to do business.
Municipal officials held a public hearing on the development agreement for the East Gate Ridge development off Hwy. 104 at the Beech Hill exit at February’s regular municipal council meeting Tuesday night; there was no opposition to the project.
First reading of the agreement took place in January; the deal could be signed after the appeal period is over on March 14th .
After Tuesday’s meeting, Owen McCarron, Antigonish Co.’s warden, said they’re excited to have the development take shape.
“It certainly signifies to the greater community in this region that this is a great spot to develop, and obviously with the public hearing, that’s moving it to the next phase,” he said. “As you can see from the development activity over on the land, there’s a lot of work taking place- there will be nine commercial lots, and the first will be the Nissan dealership.”
McCarron said construction on the Nissan building itself is expected to start when the weather improves, and wrap up by fall.
He said the car dealership is first, but more businesses will likely follow.
“I think they’re actively pursuing possibilities all the time,” he said. “(They’re) looking for the right fit for their particular location.”
McCarron said the project represents a big bump to their commercial tax base.
He said a big portion of the municipality’s revenue comes from residential assessments, so it’s nice to have a commercial push.
