Two Maple Leaf meetings scheduled, but company says it's in no rush
October 29, 2005

Both the city and a citizen's group have called public meetings on the Maple Leaf Foods plan for a pork processing plant on the east mountain. But the company's president Michael McCain told the Globe and Mail on Thursday that Maple Leaf has not yet decided whether to upgrade its existing Burlington facility or move somewhere else.

In response to a question about building a new facility in Hamilton, McCain told the Globe: " "We are a long way, a very long way, from arriving at a conclusion on that project." The company released its 3rd quarter earnings report on Thursday, reporting lower than expected profits as a result of lower prices for pork and higher energy costs.

Citizens Against Pig Slaughterhouses (CAPS), a citizen's group formed this summer to oppose Maple Leaf locating in the North Glanbrook Business Park, issued a flyer two weeks ago announcing a public meeting on November 15 at Michaelangelo's Banquet Centre on Upper Ottawa starting at 7 pm.

Then yesterday the city advertized a special committee meeting to hear citizen comments on the planned sale of land to Maple Leaf Foods. It will take place at city hall at 1 pm on November 7. The announcement says that "council will be considering a private and confidential staff report on this matter" after it hears citizen delegations - suggesting that the council debate will be held in camera, and that citizens will have to make their comments without seeing the staff report.

The city called the meeting following an announcement earlier in the week that the provincial government will provide $20 million to provide sewers, water, roads and other servicing to the North Glanbrook Business Park. Mayor Di Ianni also promised $10 million from city coffers. Some of that may come from development fees, although the city only charges 15% of what it is eligible to collect on new industrial projects.

The provincial monies are coming from the ReNew Ontario fund, announced by the McGuinty government earlier this year to deal with "neglect by previous governments [that] has allowed our critical public infrastructure to deteriorate."

A poll released this week by local business organizations found opposition to the Maple Leaf proposal increases with awareness of the company's plans. The survey polled 300 residents from Ancaster, 200 from Mt Hope, 100 from the west Mountain and 400 from other parts of Hamilton with sharply different results.

At least 70% of the residents in the first three groups were aware of the Maple Leaf plans, and even though none were east mountain residents, those with an opinion divided almost evenly with 33.7% in favour and 29.7% opposed.

In the other parts of Hamilton only 53.3% reported even being aware of the proposals. In that group 40.8% were reported to be in favour and 12.8% opposed. The highest awareness of the plans was in Mt Hope with 75% and that community also reported the highest opposition - 34.0% against to 30.5% in favour.

The poll was commissioned by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton-Halton Construction Association and the Realtors Association of Hamilton-Burlington. Their summary report doesn't provide the questions that were asked and doesn't explain why people who indicated they weren't aware of the Maple Leaf plans were nevertheless asked what they thought of them.