An information technology company with offices throughout Canada and the United States is setting-up shop in Saint John, and bringing up to 300 jobs with it.
A Sales and Performance (S&P) Data branch will soon be arriving in east Saint John in a location just vacated by the short-lived Sears call centre, which was announced by the New Brunswick government less than a year ago.
"It's been a great experience already and it's very early," says Brian Cato, S&P Data president.
The S&P Data website already lists Saint John as one of their locations.
"Everyone would love to have 300 full-time employees working in Saint John, N.B. That would be the best thing going. That's what we're looking to achieve and I'm very confident the market can support it," says Cato.
The company was hiring a handful of managers Thursday to get the operation up and running. In the days to come, a much larger job fair will be held to hire the bulk of the new employees.
S&P Data is getting logistical help from Opportunities New Brunswick, who says there has so far been no government financial help.
"S&P Data has publicly expressed interest in creating jobs and opening a facility in Saint John to support a large Canadian telecommunications company,” said Jeff Hull of Opportunities New Brunswick in a statement. “Although no funding agreement currently exists with S&P, Opportunities NB is committed to attracting and supporting opportunities to grow the economy."
Glen Savioe is the MLA for the area. He expects the company will eventually receive financial assistance for the move to New Brunswick.
"Very glad that S&P Data has decided to come to Saint John to do business," says Savoie. "I'll certainly wait to render judgement on ONB's performance in this regard and on the government's performance when I see the details"
S&P Data says it has never closed operations in a market where it has established an office.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mike Cameron.
