Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Industrial parks provide significant investment opportunity and can be a mix of heavy industry with business and office. In continuation of my series on industrial parks, today I will be examining the Fort Erie Industrial Business Park.
The Fort Erie Industrial Business Park is located in the north end of the Town of Fort Erie, along Bowen Road and the QEW. The site has been recognized by the Niagara Region as an area of significance in the Gateway Economic Zone and Centre Community Improvement Plan Incentive Program. The incentive program continues to work towards attracting new industry to the area, helping to further develop the industrial park.
An industrial pocket in Fort Erie
The Fort Erie Industrial Business Park is predominately light and medium industrial in nature. The light industrial uses include light manufacturing, commercial retailing, warehousing/distribution, machining, processing, or storage type facilities. The industrial complexes in the area vary from small plants to medium sized manufacturing and warehouse facilities. The lands surrounding the park are primarily developed with additional industrial uses, as well as agricultural and open space lands. The QEW is a major feature of the area,with the interchange located at Bowen Road. The industrial park also offers prime exposure to properties located along the eastern side of the QEW.
The Gateway Economic Zone and Centre Incentive Program
The Niagara Region has created a new tax increment based grant incentive program under the Gateway Economic Zone and Centre Community Improvement Plan, which is targeting seven industrial land sites in an attempt to attract new industry, including the Fort Erie Industrial Business Park. The additional six sites include the Niagara Falls QEW Business Park, the Niagara Falls Priority Investment Area, the Brock Business Park, Highway 406 Economic Gateway in Welland, and the Welland Canal Green Manufacturing and Assembly Zones in Welland, Thorold, and Port Colborne.
Opportunities for Fort Erie
Under the new incentive plan, each industrial site has its own set of priorities. The Niagara Region is looking for opportunities for advanced manufacturing, to increase cross-border trade, and to attract transportation and warehousing industries at the Fort Erie Industrial Park. Specific tools that will be utilized at the Fort Erie park include:
1. The creation of a master plan or secondary plan to coordinate development.
2. Create of supporting plans for servicing and transportation.
3. The preparation of urban design guidelines.
4. The creation of an investment strategy in order to attract the target industries.
5. The plan for Fort Erie also involves an environmental impact study as there are significant wetland restraints in the area. The wetlands cover a large amount of developable land and has resulted in a loss of employment potential.
6. Updating relevant local plans, policies, and zoning by-laws.
