By Ed Corrigan, Your Village News, November 3, 2006

It is important to compare the approaches of the different candidates for municipal office on economic issues and job creation. When I was on City Council I supported the industrial land strategy to purchase and service land and have it ready for development. The City invested $3 million per year to have land available for immediate development. To attract new investment and jobs we have to complete with municipalities that have serviced land available.

I supported building the Hale-Trafalgar bridge to enable CN to assemble trains to efficiently ship goods. CN was contributing $2 million and there was an excellent prospect of obtaining federal and provincial infrastructure money. The bridge would enhance London’s rail capacity, assist our industry and help us attract new investment and jobs.

If we did not pursue this project there was a risk of CN moving its rail yard and jobs outside of London and negatively impacting the ability of local industry to transport goods by rail. Could you image the impact of General Dynamics or the Ford plant leaving London because we did not have adequate rail facilities? In today’s tough competitive economy we need every advantage we can get.