An Elmira egg processor got the green light this week for expansion plans that will add another 25 jobs to the operation.
Woolwich council’s approval of Global Egg’s zone change application clears the way for the company to build an addition linking two neighbouring properties at 109 and 115 Bonnie Cr. That would join the two structures, effectively turning the existing 22,600 and 5,200-square-foot buildings into one 38,000-sq.-ft. facility.
At a public meeting held last October to discuss the plans, the most frequent concern raised involved odour problems at the plant. The operation, which processes eggs into egg-white, yolks, specialty mixes and other products, has been the source of odour complaints in the past.
The company said the odour is due to eggs broken at another site sitting for a day or two before being delivered and processed in Elmira. With the operation under one roof – the Global Egg hopes to move the egg-breaking operation from its plant in Etobicoke – the eggs would be broken, processed and dried in short order, greatly reducing the chance of odours.
Dan Kennaley, the township’s director of engineering and planning, said concerns about odour and dust have been addressed by the applicant in discussions since the public meeting. Planning staff contacted their counterparts in Abbotsford, BC, which as a plant similar to Global Egg’s operation. That community reports no complaints about odour related to the business.
More recently, the company has dealt with parking issues – the addition on the small site would eliminate most of the current space – by arranging to purchase from Terramar Investments a 2.5-acre piece of vacant land on Oriole Parkway, opposite the rear of the plant.
Scott Brookshaw, vice-president of operations for L.H. Gray and Sons, said purchasing the land would allow the company to move the egg dryer farther away from its Bonnie Crescent neighbours.
In the same vein, construction would be contained to Oriole Parkway to minimize impact on the other businesses.
Truck traffic on Bonnie Crescent would be reduced, as shipping and receiving would be moved to the back of the new building, with access from Oriole Parkway.
Currently, there’s an average of three trucks delivering materials to the plant each day, with one truck outbound with product. With the expansion, those numbers would increase to seven and three, respectively.
Acquiring the land allows the company to drop its original parking plan to lease space to create 64 spots on a piece of vacant land at nearby 90 Union St. That idea raised concerns about crossing busier Union Street and the lack of sidewalks in the vicinity, with employees having to make their way to and from the offsite location.
Coun. Mark Bauman, who said he had many concerns about the project, said they’d been addressed by the staff report and talking with Global’s planner.
“You’ve basically solved all of the issues.”
Brookshaw said the company hopes to have the work completed by December, allowing for the creation of at least 25 new jobs.
