ACOC networking event leads to discussion on potential Diageo loss
- Ron Giofu
- Sep 23
- 3 min read

The Amherstburg Chamber of Commerce (ACOC) held its latest networking event Sept. 11 at the Bryerswood Youth Camp and received updates on a few different issues.
The event saw new members welcomed but updates also given with Diageo being a main topic of interest. The company plans to close the Amherstburg plant by Feb. 2026, something that caught the community by surprise.
“It was a shock to all of us,” said ACOC president Dan Gemus. “It’s not something that we like to hear, that our biggest employer is leaving.”
Gemus invited Mayor Michael Prue up to explain the town’s position on the issue, with Prue saying it was the media who first notified him.
“It was a bombshell when I got the call,” said Prue. “I was devastated.”
After a pair of calls from the media, Prue said that is when he received a call from Diageo informing him of their plans to close the plant.
Prue noted efforts are underway to either try and save the plant or find someone else to go into the St. Arnaud St. facility.
“This is a multi-national corporation that can do what it wants,” the mayor cautioned. “It’s hard to influence them.”
Meetings have been held with officials from Premier Doug Ford’s office, Essex MPP Anthony Leardi, and Essex MP Chris Lewis with letters going out to all of those parties as well as Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Economic development and workforce related agencies have also been contacted and met with, he indicated.
“Everyone wants to help,” said Prue.
Prue admitted to having “lost it” when he read social media comments criticizing the town’s response to the issue, believing the town’s reaction to the news as well as stances on council pay raises, bike trails and ribbon cuttings were opposite to what was being portrayed on social media.
The town voted against giving themselves pay raises, agreed to trails with the trails funded by volunteers while the ribbon cuttings were at 36 businesses that created 250 jobs, he stated.
Getting back to the Diageo situation, Prue said “everyone is in this fight together” and said work is being done to try and get another business at the site, should Diageo choose to sell it. Three Canadian businesses have expressed interest in the industrial site already, he added.
If Diageo can’t be wooed back, Prue said, other industry will be sought to take its place.
“The people of Amherstburg and the people at Diageo need these jobs,” he said.
Prue added he has also met with Ministry of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce with regards to the former General Chemical site.
An update was also given at the event regarding the Bryerswood Youth Camp itself, with Bryerswood Youth Camp Optimist Club (BYCOC) president Kathi Poupard, vice president Cathy Robertson, board members and staff members giving insight on what has and needs to be done.
Over 500 youth in a six-week period had a summer camp experience, Robertson said, with that meaning the children may have been there for a day, week or more.
Robertson said that is accomplished through the community’s support.
“We’re here for each other,” she told the crowd. “We work our buns off so every child can go to camp.”
Camp director Cailin Gonneau recalled not wanting to go to camp when she was a youth and now she has grown into becoming someone who helps run the camps.
Robertson said they were able to do renovations of the activity centre thanks to an Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) grant but missed out on another. They are trying to raise revenue through fundraisers, rentals, donations and other events.
ACOC networking event leads to discussion on potential Diageo loss
By Ron Giofu
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