March 2017 | Business View Magazine

216 217 the most affordable in southern Ontario. And the expected population growth over the next several years may allowWelland to expand its urban boundaries to accommodate new devel- opment. “We have an area to the north of the city that’s upwards of 300 acres, that’s serviced and ready to go,” he says, “but under the provin- cial guidelines, we have to prove that our pop- ulation growth is going to come to that point. Our anticipation is that our population is going to outgrow the suggested number.” Meanwhile, there is some infill land available, as well. “The city owns a piece of property along the Canal that is 100 acres, and we’re selling that for development,” he says. “And we have a number of opportunities to put housing on the Canal. So within the next five to seven years, you’ll see a whole different view of the Canal. We also have a brownfield program in place to initiate growth on former industrial sites.We’ve recently sold four projects that will be cleaned up this year to a standard where we can put in new industry, new housing, and new commer- cial opportunities.” Welland, Ontario The Welland Canal, which runs through the center of Welland, connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, has always been central to the city’s identity, and these days, in addition to its commercial uses, the Canal has become a recreational waterway for the people of the area –filled with canoes, kayaks, dragon boats, paddle boards, and swimmers. In addition to a walking and biking path that runs along its edge, the Canal is also home to a world-rated, flat-water center that was built three years ago for the 2015 Pan Am Games. “Our flat-water center is considered one of the top, if not the top, in North America,” Degazio declares. “We also hosted the World University Kayak and Ca- noe Championships and the 2015World Dragon Boat Championships,which attracted about 2,500 athletes. It holds about 2,500 people in the stands, and we have an indoor tank for training purposes, which is the largest in Canada.” In planning for the future,Welland has made a commitment to incorporate sustainable and energy-saving practices. “We were one of the first communities to jump onboard with green energy,” says Degazio. “We have a sports facili- ty, which is probably one of the biggest indoor sports facilities in southern Ontario, and one of the projects that helps sustain this building is the fact that we have a 250 kilowatt solar array on the rooftop.We also have a number of solar projects across the city and we just got ap- proved for four more.Welland Hydro is owned by the city and that’s a big advantage for us.We were the first community in North America to put LED street lights across the city. So, we’re very in tune with the Green Energy Act.” (The Green Energy Act, GEA, introduced in the On- tario legislature in 2009, is intended to expand renewable energy production, encourage ener- gy conservation, and create green jobs.) Welland, Ontario - a proud past, a thriving present, and a bright future. Preferred vendors n Upper Canada Consultants www.ucc.com n Dillon Consulting Ltd. www.dillon.ca