WOODSTOCK, ONTARIO — City council members will continue looking at a proposal for a new poultry processing plant near Woodstock, Ontario, on Jan. 18.

According to a local meeting agenda, High Noon Investment Corp., will present plans for a construction site that would feature a 113,000-square-foot processing facility on 14 acres that would process, package and ship poultry products.

“The purchaser is acquiring this property in the name of a holding corporation and prefers to remain anonymous until it is closer to construction for competitive reasons,” the agenda said. “The company is an existing Canadian poultry processor with a proven track record.”

The unnamed company estimated it would employ approximately 300 people around Woodstock once fully operational.

The proposed purchase price for the land is C$6.7 million, with the proposed agreement to allow 36 months after the purchase to complete the construction.

In order to move forward with the agreement, the document said an official plan amendment and zoning bylaw would be needed to permit a slaughterhouse to operate in the city.

“Presumably this prohibition is based on past practices and is not reflective of modern poultry processing operations,” the document said. “Modern poultry processing facilities in Ontario are overseen by a number of regulatory agencies including the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), the Ontario Ministry of Environment, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).”

The sale of the land could be completed by July 2024 if the city council approves bylaw amendments.