Canada’s leading pork producer has started the process of possibly establishing production barns south of Deloraine.

An information open house was held Wednesday at the Community Complex in Deloraine.

The open house allowed people to find out more about what the project means for the community, industry standards and environmental protection. The information session was a way of informing people about the environmental impact of the proposed barns in the area.

Hylife’s Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability Sheldon Stott took people through various information stations to outline everything from location and production to odour control.

“This is our first endeavor into this municipality. We’re looking at establishing a livestock operation in the south end of the municipality. We’d like to build what’s called a multiplier unit that will include 3,750 nursery pigs and 7,800 finishers.”

The four barns would employ four full time workers.

Deloraine-Winchester Reeve Gord Weidenhamer has a direct interest in the project because the proposed site is close to his farm.

“When they approached us about this we thought you know it’s industry in the municipality and more jobs in the region. It has to be a location that’s acceptable to everyone. We had a proposal in the 1990’s and it was a location issue that kept that proposal from going ahead. They’ve made a lot of advancements. I’m three miles from the site, a cattle farmer and I accept everything to do with livestock. I hope people step forward if they want to voice an opinion and our council makes the right decision.”

Dave Stewart is a cattle farmer who lives southwest of the proposed site. He has land in the municipality and attended the open house to find out more about the $8 million project.

“It’s a good sized project that brings some jobs and I’m a livestock guy and thought I should check it out. Everybody’s concern is run-off and odour but it appears they done a lot to address those worries. They've come a long way and seem to be doing things right.”

HyLife will assess the feed back from the open house and the next step in the process will see the company applying to the municipality for a conditional use permit.

“If things fell into place we could start construction this spring but we have a lot of steps to cover first and a lot due diligence that has to happen from ourselves and the province to make sure this project is sustainable” said Sheldon Stott.