The Minister of Finance is reacting to the news of a $23-million agreement between the province and Diageo, which includes $1-million for Windsor-Essex.
Peter Bethlenfalvy calls it 'really good news' and says this is good for communities across the province. He adds that Premier Doug Ford fought hard for this result.
The announcement was made Friday afternoon where Diageo has committed to nearly $23-million in new investments, and as a result of this agreement, the province says Crown Royal products made by Diageo will continue to be available for purchase through the LCBO.
The agreement will see Windsor-Essex get $1-million for economic development, focused on Amherstburg, along with community projects to support residents in the town.
The rest of the money will go to Toronto, Scarborough, and Eastern Ontario, with some supporting the agricultural sector, marketing and promotions.
Ford has been threatening for months to pull the product after Diageo announced in August it is closing the Amherstburg bottling plant.
Bethlenfalvy says the Premier fought hard for action.
"And that's the Premier at his best. And I have to also give some credit to Diageo, their committed to Ontario, they made some efforts. While the plant is still closing, we're grateful that some investments were made, some $23-million, that really otherwise wouldn't have been made without the Premier's leadership."
He says Diageo plans to explore options to establish a new Ontario canning facility.
"Which I think Amherstburg and the region are very well placed to kind of compete for. So, that's in the future, and that's not landed, but I think this is positive."
He says Diageo was engaged in dialogue with the province.
"Without that dialogue, and the announcement today, none of this would've happened without their input. But look, at the end of the day, we are the largest purchaser of Diageo products in Canada, and so we're a big customer, and you want to treat your best customer, your biggest customer, appropriately."
The Amherstburg plant is expected to close at the end of February, putting 200 employees out of work.
The company stated their reasoning behind closing the Amherstburg facility was to improve its North American supply chain, with Crown Royal whisky destined for Canada and non-U.S. export markets now being bottled at Diageo's Valleyfield, Quebec, facility, while whisky bottling for the U.S. market shifts elsewhere.
-with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides