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| A former rubber mill was redeveloped into one of the top-performing Keg Steakhouse restaurants in Canada. |
By Mark Brickell
Developers and investors from near and far are paying close attention to the
exciting rebirth of the Niagara Region as billions of dollars flow into this
once quiet border community –- and brownfield redevelopment is a major
component of this renewal effort.
Niagara’s Time Has Come
The regional municipality of Niagara, located in southern Ontario between Lake
Erie and Lake Ontario, has a population of 430,000. With four international
bridge crossings, Niagara is one of the busiest ports of entry between Canada
and the United States.
It is also a strategic trade corridor connecting the greater Toronto area and
U.S. markets and home to the world-renowned Welland Canal, which links Lake
Erie and Lake Ontario.
While Niagara has always been known for its prime agricultural lands and rich natural environment, Niagara’s economy has been driven by its manufacturing sector — particularly the automotive sector.
However, over the past fifteen years, Niagara’s manufacturing base has been hit hard. General Motors, which employed almost 10,000 people in 1988, now employs only 3,000. Similarly, Niagara’s auto parts plants have experienced significant downsizing and closures. Major paper mills have also been forced to close.
Twenty years ago, such plant closures and job losses would have been devastating to the local economy. Instead, a new Niagara region is unfolding today.
Thanks to the vision and risk-taking of a few key individuals, Niagara has emerged as the predominant wine region of Canada and is now winning international awards regularly for its quality wines.
The emergence of a world-class wine industry has also been a great catalyst
for greater investment in higher-end tourist attractions, accommodations and
experiences.
Presently, Niagara plays host to more than 12 million visitors annually. That
number is expected to more than double within the next 10 years..
The
Brownfield Solution
It is in this context that Niagara’s brownfields have come to the forefront.
As is the case for many communities, most of the abandoned industrial sites
occupy strategic urban land.
“Left as it is, the brownfield site becomes a powerful symbol of stagnation and decay. It reflects a community that does not care about its future or aspire to be anything greater. Conversely, brownfields reclaimed for higher use are catalytic and transformational in nature,” said regional chair Peter Partington at a recent brownfield workshop hosted by the Niagara Economic and Tourism Corporation and the Ontario Centre for Environmental Technology Advancement.