Discussions between Brantford, Brant County, a developer and a local farmer-led co-operative are progressing to move the location of a proposed ethanol plant from the city’s northwest over to Cainsville.

King & Benton Development Corp., which earlier this year sold land in its Oak Park North business park to Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative for its $86-million corn ethanol plant, has filed an application with Brant County this week to rezone a 54-acre parcel of land on Old Onondaga Road that it has purchased in the Cainsville industrial area.

King & Benton president Steve Charest said that the rezoning action is to facilitate a change of location he is seeking for the co-op's yet-to-be built plant and allow for an expanded operation.

“We constantly look for ways to make something that is good better, and I think IGPC follows that concept, too,” said Charest.

The co-op has acquired a permit from the Ministry of the Environment to take 1,600 litres of water per minute from the aquifer.

However, concern about the long-term viability of the aquifer continues to be registered by environmentalists on the watchdog Northwest Gateway Committee, and by city council.

“We have concerns about them drawing from the aquifer,” said Hancock, “so there are advantages to the plant being located in Cainsville.”