Influx of foreign workers prompts expansion plans in Alberton

The western P.E.I. town of Albertonis looking to double the size of its Emma Drive subdivision, but itneeds some infrastructure built first.

Mayor Michael Murphy said the town, which has a population of 1,200, would like to develop another 15 lots, but part of the land needs a drainage system to deal with storm water.

There's always people looking. Alberton Mayor Michael Murphy

Murphy said there are a lot of new job opportunities in the area and foreign workers are moving in to take them.

"Mexicans, Filipinos, East Indians some of them are buying homes so that's a good indicator. There's some of them at WestTech, there's some of them works in the fish plants, Tignish and Rosebank, and then they just announced 100 more new jobs for the call centre here a couple of weeks ago, so the East Indians are hired on through them," said Murphy.

"There's always people looking and there's very few lots to be bought around town."

Murphy said the town has sold 13 of the 15 lots in the five-year-old subdivision behind the town hall. Three houses are already up and a new duplex is just starting to be built.

Murphy hopesto have the drainage system in soon, to build an access roadand get the new lots developed and on the market by the end of this year.

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