Essex MP Jeff Watson today announced that three key development projects across the Essex-Windsor area are moving forward thanks to an investment of $17.7 million to stimulate the local economy under the Community Adjustment Fund (CAF) for Southern Ontario.

For St. Clair College that means $5 million to significantly expand the college's Journalism program. “We are very pleased with the partnership between St. Clair College and the federal government. This announcement will allow us to move our Journalism program forward to ensure our students have the marketable skills they need for a new era in their profession, with a great facility and state-of-the-art equipment,” said St. Clair President Dr. John Strasser.

Veronique Mandal, Coordinator of the Journalism program, was instrumental in the development of the concepts and proposal that led to this announcement. “I am grateful that Jeff Watson and Minister Goodyear understood the concept and innovation in our plan for a Convergence Journalism program here at St. Clair. We will have a state-of-the-art newsroom, classrooms and equipment, all of which will give students a broad based experience. We will also be expanding and developing innovative new components to the program.”

The Town of Amherstburg received $11.265 million for multi-component urban infrastructure renewal and the Town of LaSalle received $1.435 million under the National Heritage Plan for environmental improvements and tree plantings. The investments will create immediate employment opportunities and support local economies in communities throughout Southern Ontario with populations of fewer than 250,000 that rely heavily on manufacturing and natural resources.

“Our Conservative government is continuing its unprecedented investments in Windsor-Essex,” said Watson. “With the Community Adjustment Fund our goal is to more than just create jobs now; it's to create jobs in a repositioned and diversified economy for tomorrow and beyond.”

These projects were part of the up to $102 million investment made through the CAF for 2009 – 2010, announced on August 27 by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, newly appointed Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. It is the government's intention to support a total of 90 projects in communities across this region that are struggling with the effects of the global economic downturn.