Leclerc Cornwall plant gets government support

The former Philips Canlyte plant, seen here in a May 2017 file photo, will be home to cookie and snack food maker Leclerc. The Eastern Ontario Development Program is putting $50,000 toward the company's purchase of a high speed production line and retrofit of the plant, ahead of its spring opening. (Newswatch Group/Bill Kingston, File)

CORNWALL – A production plant in Cornwall’s east end for snack food maker Leclerc is getting some government help.

The Cornwall and The Counties Community Futures Development Corporation is giving $50,000 to the company under the province’s Eastern Ontario Development Program.

While the EODP funding was approved in May after receiving an application from the company, the CFDC had planned for a photo-op today (Dec. 4). But that event was cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances.”

The plant, in the former 160,000 square foot Philips Canlyte plant at 525 Education Road, is expected to open by spring.

The company will be buying a high-speed production line that will produce 1,200 peanut-free granola bars per minute. The entire plant will be peanut-free.

The $9.5 million project is expected to create 80 jobs over four years.

Leclerc is creating a substantial number of local jobs.