March 2017 | Business View Magazine

212 213 name of the settlement was changed to Mer- rittsville. It was incorporated as the Village of Welland in 1858, the Town of Welland in 1878, and the City of Welland in 1917. Because of Welland’s proximity to the hydro- electric station at Niagara Falls, the city was historically known for its steel, automotive, and textile industries. Over the last few decades, however, many of the city’s large manufactur- ing plants have closed or relocated, and today, the community is diversifying its economy to include smaller manufacturing firms such as Welded Tube of Canada, call centers such as Convergys, and food processors, such as North- ern Gold, a manufacturer of breakfast and snack products. “The most notable addition has been G.E.,” says Dan Degazio,Welland’s Director of Eco- nomic Development. “They’re moving to Welland and opening a 500,000 square foot facility to employ a minimum of 250 people to start. It’s a $250 million facility on 80 acres near the Welland Canal and a twenty-minute drive from the U.S. border.” Helping to lure companies like General Elec- tric to Welland is the city’s Gateway Incentive Program. “It opened up about a year and half ago,” Degazio explains. “We’ve got five compa- nies taking part. This program allows compa- nies to build with no development charges. It also allows them to get a tax incentive, which, in the case of G.E., means zero regional and municipal taxes for the next ten years, which will save them upwards of $30 million. It was Welland, Ontario 䐀椀氀氀漀渀 椀猀 瀀爀漀甀搀 漀昀 漀甀爀  瀀愀爀琀渀攀爀猀栀椀瀀 眀椀琀栀 琀栀攀 䌀椀琀礀  漀昀 圀攀氀氀愀渀搀 漀渀 猀椀最渀椀ǻ挀愀渀琀  瀀爀漀樀攀挀琀猀 椀渀挀氀甀搀椀渀最 琀栀攀  䌀椀琀礀ᤠ猀 伀ϻ挀椀愀氀 倀氀愀渀 愀渀搀 琀栀攀  䐀漀眀渀琀漀眀渀 䌀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀礀  䤀洀瀀爀漀瘀攀洀攀渀琀 倀氀愀渀 ⸀ 䐀椀氀氀漀渀 椀猀 愀渀 攀洀瀀氀漀礀攀攀ⴀ漀眀渀攀搀Ⰰ 瀀爀漀昀攀猀猀椀漀渀愀氀 ǻ爀洀  猀瀀攀挀椀愀氀椀稀椀渀最 椀渀 瀀氀愀渀渀椀渀最Ⰰ 攀渀最椀渀攀攀爀椀渀最Ⰰ 攀渀瘀椀爀漀渀洀攀渀琀愀氀  猀挀椀攀渀挀攀 愀渀搀 洀愀渀愀最攀洀攀渀琀 琀栀愀琀 瀀愀爀琀渀攀爀猀 眀椀琀栀 挀氀椀攀渀琀猀 琀漀  瀀爀漀瘀椀搀攀 椀渀瘀攀渀琀椀瘀攀 猀漀氀甀琀椀漀渀猀 琀漀 挀漀洀瀀氀攀砀Ⰰ 洀甀氀琀椀ⴀ昀愀挀攀琀攀搀  瀀爀漀戀氀攀洀猀⸀ 倀爀漀甀搀氀礀 䌀愀渀愀搀椀愀渀 猀椀渀挀攀 戀攀椀渀最 昀漀甀渀搀攀搀 椀渀 ㄀㤀㐀㘀  椀渀 䰀漀渀搀漀渀Ⰰ 伀渀琀愀爀椀漀Ⰰ 眀攀 栀愀瘀攀 渀攀瘀攀爀 猀琀漀瀀瀀攀搀 椀渀渀漀瘀愀琀椀渀最Ⰰ  最爀漀眀椀渀最Ⰰ 戀甀椀氀搀椀渀最 愀渀搀 氀攀愀搀椀渀最 琀漀眀愀爀搀猀 愀 戀攀琀琀攀爀 琀漀洀漀爀爀漀眀⸀ 眀眀眀⸀搀椀氀氀漀渀⸀挀愀