Business View Civil Municipal - Sept 2023

128 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 9 for massive growth. The Oldcastle community currently has over 350 industrial establishments in machine, tool, die and mold manufacturing, automation and technology. The town’s industrial base includes longstanding food manufacturer, Nortera, as well as extensive primary agriculture production. Municipal water, wastewater services, transportation, and the necessary energy infrastructure to accommodate new growth is available. Further sweetening the deal, the town recently adopted an industrial community improvement plan to incentivize new ventures, particularly in automotive and large-scale manufacturing industries. Mayor McNamara outlines the primary purpose of the Tecumseh Industrial Community Improvement Plan. “We’re targeting industries that are automotive industries, large scale manufacturing industries,” he elaborated. He went on to describe the financial incentive programs on offer, which include tax increment equivalent rebate programs, planning and building permit fee rebate programs, and development charges rebate programs. “We’re being aggressive and letting the world know that Tecumseh is open for business,” the mayor declares, reinforcing the town’s commitment to progress. Harnessing Growth Tecumseh’s anticipatory leadership is leaving no stone unturned in their infrastructure and development pursuits. Mayor McNamara shares, “Planning and engineering departments are tirelessly working on several specific areas within the municipality to support our anticipated population influx due to new industries and investments.” It is a challenging mission, given the intertwined growth of industry and population in Tecumseh. However, the team is up for it. Misek-Evans further expands on infrastructure developments, discussing a unique grassroots approach toward enhancing rural broadband. “Our citizen-based rural broadband committee has advocated for better broadband services in our rural areas.” This initiative’s localized efforts amplify the mayor’s similar advocacy at the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus, providing a comprehensive strategy to ensure no part of Tecumseh is left behind. On the residential front, Misek-Evans shares an ambitious vision to increase Tecumseh’s residential unit supply by approximately 4000 units over the next decade, a good third more than the existing capacity. “We are primed for diversification, with our development plans including single, semi, and townhomes to mid-rise residential units. To balance it out, we will also have about 400,000ft² of local commercial space, complemented with new parks, trails, and recreational amenities.” These residential developments do not operate in isolation; they synergize with industry expansion, serving