A site plan for an Amherstburg, Ont. green house operation has finally been given approval by council after a lengthy debate.
At a July 13 meeting councillors raised several concerns, including the lack of information surrounding the proposed bunk houses to be built for the project on Concession Road 3.
Despite administration advising council the contents of those bunkhouses is not the town's responsibility; council voted 5-1 against final approval and requested another report.
The item returned at a special meeting Monday night with a representative from the project to answer questions. Tim Ondejko told council the developer currently owns two large greenhouses in Essex County that have zero COVID-19 cases.
"Personally I feel this is one of the most responsible greenhouse growers and developers that is coming to the town of Amherstburg, that's fighting to come to the town of Amherstburg," he says.
Ondejko says the developer quarantined migrant workers at his other facilities and began bringing food and other items in before the outbreak hit.
He says they're keeping a close eye on changes coming due to the pandemic.
"It will all come down from the feds and the province to say that's what you're going to need to be able to do and it's not just going to be what we're building, it's what is going to have to happen within the industry," added Ondejko. "We're going to follow every building code and whatever changes there are. We're going to be on top of it and be the first ones to be on top of it."
Councillor Donald McArthur wanted assurances lights wouldn't cause a glow across town.
Ondejko says installing grow lights just doesn't fit into the facilities long-term plans.
"There's no infrastructure, so we can't put in lights, we don't intend on putting in lights," he says. "Part of the issue is if you double down on your initial investment your production cost is substantially higher and to us it doesn't make any sense."
The greenhouse operation includes a warehouse, production facilities and bunkhouses for seasonal or migrant workers.
It will create more than 400 jobs, but it's unclear how many of those jobs will be filled by seasonal staff.