Hundreds of employment opportunities coming to Barrie

A groundbreaking in Barrie's south end Tuesday afternoon marks a new subdivision of eco-friendly industrial buildings.

"We haven't seen a new subdivision like this in Barrie for almost 20 years, and it's required. There's been a lack of industrial lands and buildings available for local businesses and for businesses that want to grow outside and bring their businesses to Barrie," said TJ Rinomato, co-founder of Rinomato Group of Companies.

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Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall was on hand for the event at 80 Big Bay Point Road and noted the demand for more job opportunities in the city.

"Obviously, the community has been growing in terms of housing and population, and we need to make sure it's not just a place people rest their head at night, it's a place where they get to enjoy the whole community and to work here. So, it's really important we get these jobs here in the City of Barrie, and it's really important that we attract that investment," he said.

Over a million square feet of land will be developed, with various businesses setting up shop.

"There's going to be manufacturing of all different types of materials, both construction related, materials and everything from cosmetics to clothing wear and tech jobs are going to be created here," said Rinomato.

Pre-construction alone created almost 250 jobs, with hundreds more on the way.

"Once we get our building permits for the undergrounds and get going, we'll employ over 500 construction jobs to start. Building the actual buildings, we'll employ over 1,500 construction jobs, and then once the buildings are done, a minimum of 1,500 jobs will be created in the subdivision," said Rinomato.

Officials said if all goes as planned, asphalt is set to be down by November, and construction will be completed by the end of 2024.