ATLANTIC

Dairy plant in N.S. gets provincial cash to expand, build ice cream machines

The Canadian Press Published Friday, August 23, 2013 11:52AM ADT

The commission was created by the NDP government in the fall of 2012 and is being led by Acadia University president Ray Ivany.

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TRURO, N.S. -- The government of Nova Scotia is offering the Scotsburn dairy plant in Truro $7.5 million in an effort to help the company expand.

The province is giving $2 million to help the company buy new machines that will make premium novelty ice cream products.

Another $5.5 million will be loaned, which is intended to create 40 jobs as Scotsburn plans a $10-million expansion to meet what it says is a growing demand for its products.

Up to $480,000 of the loan is forgivable based on job creation, and the loan is repayable over 15 years.

Lenore Zann, the NDP member for the riding of Truro-Bible Hill, says it would be difficult for Scotsburn to make the upgrades it needs to win new contracts without the provincial money.