Six Nations Council and King & Benton Developments agree to redevelop Grand River Mills building

12/17/2003

Agreement signals long-term commitment and is a win-win for Six Nations, Brant County.

Brantford, ON, Dec. 17– Six Nations Council and King & Benton Developments have an agreement to lease the Grand River Mills Building (GRM) situated on the Oneida Industrial Park. They have pledged to work together to bring more jobs and economic benefits to the Territory. Construction has begun to complete structural work on the building and plans are under way to present details to the community in the New Year.

“This agreement signals a long-term commitment between King & Benton and Six Nations Council,” says Six Nations Council Chief Roberta Jamieson. “The combined strength of one of Canada’s more progressive and most populated First Nation community and the largest private industrial developer in the City of Brantford and Brant County will create many opportunities for Community Members and local businesses.
Working together, we will begin development of the Park for the benefit of the community.”

The President of King & Benton Developments, Steve Charest says the development of the Grand River Mills Building will be a catalyst to bring more business opportunities to the Six Nations Community, and the surrounding Territory. “King & Benton is dedicated to strategic, sustainable development and responsible economic growth,” says Charest. “The agreement with Six Nations Council is a perfect fit with our company vision, and it should send a strong, positive message to the business community that this area is open for business. We’re looking forward to working with Six Nations Council to complete the building, and transform it into a viable and attractive part of the community,” he said.

The working relationship between Six Nations, King & Benton, local companies and people is already off to a positive start. “As a tenant of the former Grand River Mills building, I have had dealings with King & Benton through their ongoing transition into the building. During this time, they have done their utmost to accommodate my current needs and they have offered competitively priced space to address my immediate future needs. King & Benton is a developer that is determined to revive Brantford. It is my opinion that they are well positioned and have the resources to breathe new life into our economic development and community as well,” says Brian Porter, Principal, First Nations Assembly (FNA Steel Assembly Systems).

“Six Nations Council is dedicated to increasing the economic development on-reserve and sees this as a prime opportunity to set the standard for future dealings with the business community inside and outside Six Nations,” says Chief Jamieson. “This relationship will also allow Six Nations to grow Economic Development interest and capacity and allow for greater exploration of Economic Development opportunities.

“This agreement now sets the stage for King & Benton to be a truly effective catalyst for new business in this region,” says Charest. “An established business relationship with the Six Nations Council, combined with our presence in the county and the city, will create many new exciting business opportunities for the entire region.”

About King & Benton

King and Benton Developments is a Canadian-owned, Toronto-based real estate company dedicated to making the Brant area the next centre of business in Southern Ontario. With more than 1million square feet of industrial real estate (and 275 hectares (709 acres) of serviced and unserviced land) in the Brantford area, King and Benton offers outstanding development opportunities to potential partners.

About Six Nations Council

Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, Canada’s most populated First Nation Community, with 22,000 members, is easily accessible by air, rail, and highway being centrally located on Highway 6 and 20 minutes outside Brantford and Hamilton. With a capable and educated human resource base, Six Nations has the capacity and welcomes the opportunity to fully explore and engage in business partnerships and economic development.


For More Information Contact:


King & Benton Developments
Kevin Lennon
416-322-3030 ext. 223

Six Nations Council
Scott Cavan
445.2201 ext.241