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Dorchester, New Brunswick

Introduction

The Village of Dorchester is conveniently located between the Greater Moncton region and the Town of Sackville, nestled in the rolling hills along the Memramcook River and at the head of the Bay of Fundy.

In terms of business, Dorchester has its share of success stories that includes Atlantic Industries North America Inc., which continues to grow as a manufacturer of quality galvanized pipes, with exports spanning across North America.

Another major employer in the region is Correctional Services Canada. A collaboration has been struck with local employers to offer low-risk inmates the opportunity to develop new job skills to the benefit of the employer and employee.

Abundant natural resources, quick access to Greater Moncton’s International Airport and a solid government employment base make Dorchester an attractive area for a company to establish its operations.

Working and living conditions are significantly improved thanks to Dorchester’s high quality of life, possibilities for outdoor adventures, the July-September migration of 80% of the world’s Sandpipers and overall hospitality.

Dorchester — A Pool of Workers

In addition to the core population of Dorchester, companies looking to establish in the community may draw workers from the 150,000 persons within 30 minutes commute.

Furthermore, the 2001 Census indicates that a good part of the population is of prime working age: 25-54.

A Ready Labour Force

While Dorchester shows some signs of lower employment than the provincial average, this means there is more potential to find workers in this community than in others where employment is higher.

Additionally, the region boasts very high levels of postsecondary education attainment at 73% (for the 35-44 age bracket), well above the provincial average of 47%.

In general, the New Brunswick workforce is known to have relatively low rates of worker absenteeism and among the lowest rates of workforce turnover in North America. In Dorchester, companies will have access to a stable and productive workforce.

Industry Overview

Dorchester’s economic base is made of manufacturing, tourism, retail and services and agriculture.

Dorchester relies on big employers such as Correctional Services Canada, but is expanding with venture such as the Southeast Paddlesports, which seeks to develop ecotourism with kayaking and camping excursions.

Companies looking to establish operations in Dorchester will be joining a community with a solid economic base with a growing number of eager entrepreneurs, looking to develop the region’s and population’s full potential.

Selected Major Employers

Organization:	Industry:	Employees:
Correctional Services Canada	Governmental Services	600
Atlantic Industries Ltd.	Manufacturing	150

Cost Environment

As Greater Moncton has among the lowest operating costs in North America, nearby Dorchester also offers a highly competitive cost environment to its community.

Operating Cost Index*

City	Back Offices/ Call Centres	Mfg. Facilities	Software Dev.
San Jose, CA	118.5	109.1	109.0
New York, NY	116.1	109.2	107.9
San Diego, CA	109.6	103.4	103.4
Boston, MA	108.6	103.7	102.8
Chicago, IL	108.5	101.2	102.0
Atlanta, GA	99.3	97.7	99.0
Phoenix, AZ	97.9	100.1	100.0
Toronto, ON	95.1	94.0	94.8
Vancouver, BC	93.2	97.2	96.0
Moncton, NB	82.0	92.0	92.2

Source: KPMG Competitive Alternatives — The CEO's Guide to International Business Costs, G7-2004 Edition.

* Business costs are expressed as an index, with the United States being assigned to the baseline index of 100.0.

Regional Economic Assets

Dorchester offers all of the lifestyle and cost advantages of a small, rural community while its proximity to Greater Moncton also allows companies to leverage a number of world-class economic assets including:

Greater Moncton Int. Airport (20 min. drive)

Offers multiple daily flights to Canadian and U.S. destinations.

Mount Allison University (15 min. drive)

One of the highest rated universities in Canada, Mount Allison is located in the nearby community of Sackville, NB.

The Scoudouc Industrial Park (20 min. drive)

One of the province’s most important industrial parks, the Scoudouc Industrial Park is home to a number of highly successful manufacturing companies such as North America’s largest private label beverage manufacturer, Cott Beverages Canada and the world's largest maker of glass containers, Owens-Illinois. The park features over 300 acres of available, low cost land and rail access.

Université de Moncton (25 min. drive)

A French-language university with over 7,000 students, U de M provides a pool of professional workers for the region.

Two New Brunswick Community Colleges (25 & 30 min. drive)

The community colleges in Moncton and Dieppe graduate hundreds of skilled, technical workers each year that feed into the region’s manufacturing and high tech industries.

Quality of Life

Companies that establish in Dorchester are locating in a community that is known to have a high quality of life. The region offers beautiful rolling forested hillside, a network of outdoor amenities and peaceful environment.

Cost of Living

One of the reasons why Dorchester has a competitive operating cost environment is the relatively low cost of living for local residents. For example, the cost of housing — the largest cost of living expense — is much lower than would be found in larger urban centres. The monthly cost of owning and maintaining a house in Dorchester is 30% lower than in the Greater Halifax area.

Village Infrastructure

The Village of Dorchester offers companies a welldeveloped infrastructure.

Tax Rates (2006)

Provincial: $2.25/$100 evaluation
Municipal commercial: $2.1294/$100 evaluation
Municipal residential: $1.1.4196/$100 evaluation

Tax Base (2006)

$1.5 million

Investment Opportunities

The Village of Dorchester and Enterprise South-east, the
regional economic development agency, have identified
several types of companies and business interests they
are looking to attract to the region. The sectors and areas
of demand identified include: