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| News Release Index |
News Release
For immediate releases March 31, 2000
EDS CANADA TO CREATE 900 JOBS IN SYDNEY, NOVA SCOTIA
SYDNEY, N.S. -- Prime Minister Jean Chrétien today joined Nova Scotia Premier John Hamm, the Federal Minister Responsible for Nova Scotia, the Honourable Bernie Boudreau, and Sheelagh Whittaker, President and CEO of EDS Canada to announce the establishment of EDS Sydney Centre, a contact centre that will create up to 900 full- time jobs in Sydney over the next four years.
The Centre, which is to be operational this summer, will support EDS’s information technology clients throughout North America. The bulk of its activity will be handling inbound customer service enquiries by telephone, fax, e-mail and internet.
"This investment brings 900 "e"-business jobs to Cape Breton and makes Cape Breton a player in global "e"-business as never before," said the Prime Minister. "The Cape Breton economy of the 21st century will be built on investments like this one - that bring good jobs in a global marketplace fuelled by the hard work and determination of the people of Cape Breton."
"New jobs and new economic opportunities in a new industry have been too long in coming to this part of Nova Scotia," said Premier Hamm. "The people of industrial Cape Breton will turn their economy around, given a chance. This announcement today is a good first step in providing that chance."
"Today’s announcement puts Sydney squarely on the global stage, as the region will now be seen as a premiere supplier of call centre services," said President and CEO of EDS Canada Sheelagh Whittaker. "EDS customers, major global corporations in telecommunication, manufacturing and financial services, will come to rely on this centre for rapid and responsive support. The customer service professionals here will be trained and equipped with cutting-edge Web and wireless technologies. And the EDS Centre itself will be nothing short of a showcase, featuring the latest thinking in both technology and customer service processes."
"The Government of Canada is committed to working with various partners in order to address the economic conditions on Cape Breton Island," said the Honourable Bernie Boudreau, Minister Responsible for Nova Scotia. "EDS Canada, a leader in the information technology service industry, is bringing good jobs to Cape Breton and, in the process, helping to diversify and grow our local economy."
The $32.2 million in start up costs of the EDS Sydney Centre will be financed by:
• EDS Canada $19.2 million
• Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation (ECBC)
@ conditional contribution based on
job creation up to $6.0 million
@ provisionally repayable contribution $7.0 million
The ECBC provisionally repayable contribution will come from the $68 million Economic Adjustment Fund established by the Government of Canada as part its response to the restructuring and privatization of the Cape Breton Development Corporation (DEVCO). In addition, the Province of Nova Scotia will provide up to $8.4million in the form of payroll rebates on the projected payroll of $103 million if the company meets and maintains its job targets.
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For Further Information Contact:
PMO Press Office: (613) 957-5555
Nicole Loreto
EDS Canada
Tel: (613) 236-9734
Laura Lee Langley
Economic Development & Tourism
Tel: (902) 424-0927
D.A. Landry
Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation
Tel: (902) 564-3617
This document is also available on our Internet site: http://pm.gc.ca
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| Last Update: 2001-11-23 |
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