SOUTH DUNDAS — While it may seem like all the recent development talk has focused on residential projects in Iroquois, a major Morrisburg residential, commercial, and industrial project is inching away closer to reality.
The project, which will develop 97.5 hectares (240 acres) of land north of County Road 2 across from Steward Drive that was added to the settlement boundary of the village in August 2024, is owned by Sunshine Sky Farms Inc. The company’s preliminary plan for the property is to have a 10 hectare (24 acre) commercial area fronting along CR 2, a 33 hectare (81.5 acre) residential district behind the commercial area, and a 36 hectare (89 acre) light industrial area. That land would span between the residential district and the Canadian National Railways line.
Graham Shannon with Sunshine Sky Farms told The Leader that one of the aspects of their project they are excited about is the industrial land.
“The fact is there is a need for industrial land in this area. The access for this coming off Highway 31 and proximity to the 401 makes it perfect,” he said. “It would be an excellent sort of opportunity. It could be for fulfillment centres; it could be for manufacturing; it could be for anything. But it is a great location.”
Shannon said access to the industrial lands may extend off County Road 31 and follow a water course adjacent to the land. He added that they plan to work with neighbouring property owners about building the access road.
“We would have some separation between [the industrial] and the residential component, berms, and other things,” he said. “What we don’t want is any transports coming through residential land.”
Shannon, and designing consultant Naama Blonder were at South Dundas council May 27 presenting an update to a 20 hectare (50 acre) project being designed for Iroquois. He said that the Morrisburg project is bigger, and is about a year behind that of the Iroquois project.
“We wanted to start with Iroquois because it was the low hanging fruit. It is a little more sizable — 50 acres versus 200,” he explained. “Let’s have some success and see what we can do on the first project.”
Shannon added that because of the progress made on the company’s Iroquois project, some of the design for the residential components of the Morrisburg project is underway.
“So we’ll be bringing that in shortly,” he said.
Shannon was unable to attach a financial value to the project at this point, as the designs are preliminary.
“It’s more a vision at this point.”
The 2024 expansion of the settlement boundary for Morrisburg was part of an official plan amendment that saw a number of settlement areas in SDG Counties amended. The addition of potential industrial land in South Dundas is needed after provincial wetlands designations have made expanding the existing Morrisburg Industrial Park less of an option.
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