HALIFAX– An announcement today at the former TrentonWorks facility will see a positive conclusion to years of work by the former Progressive Conservative government to revitalize the site.
“The Progressive Conservative caucus appreciates the NDP government following through on the hard work and leadership of the Rodney MacDonald government in brokering this deal,” said acting Progressive Conservative Leader Cecil Clarke. “I would also like to acknowledge that much credit should go to Minister of National Defence, Peter MacKay and the federal government for coming through for the people of Pictou County.”
Not many details are public yet, but the president and CEO of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Ltd., Nam Sang-Tae, and Nova Scotia Power president and CEO, Rob Bennett will join MacKay and provincial government representatives at the former TrentonWorks site this morning for the announcement.
The deal began in the fall of 2008 when the province entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME). Staff from DSME came to Nova Scotia to forge a working agreement and further examine business opportunities in our province.
Representatives from the Progressive Conservative government then led a delegation to Korea that included Nova Scotia Business Inc., and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. Meetings with senior staff within DSME and the delegation cemented the groundwork that led to the deal being announced today.
“Former Economic Development Ministers that served in the Progressive Conservative government put in countless hours on this file to ensure that jobs and families could remain in Pictou County,” said Economic Development critic Chuck Porter. “Today is a momentous day for all of those involved and I congratulate everyone who had a hand in this announcement coming to fruition.”
Former owners, Greenbrier Corporation, announced in April 2007 they were permanently shutting down the manufacturing of railcars at the facility. TrentonWorks Ltd. then closed its doors in May 2007.
Since that time, the provincial and federal governments have been looking for a buyer to return industrial manufacturing to the former TrentonWorks site.
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For more information, please contact:
Sarah Reeves, Communications Officer
Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative Caucus
902.424.7723 (office)
902.476.4167 (mobile)
