The Sussex area economy was dealt a shocking blow in early 2016 when PotashCorp announced it was shutting down its nearby Picadilly mine.
More than 400 jobs were lost when the company suspended operations indefinitely last January.
Sussex mayor Marc Thorne says initially there was concern for the families who worked there but things have slowly improved over the past year.
“We were happy to discover that many of the miners, about 430 people, that were affected by the closure did land on their feet. Some taking positions with PotashCorp in Saskatchewan but many choosing to remain right here in our own community,” he notes.
Thorne says the business community led by the chamber of commerce met numerous times in 2016 to focus on the strengths the town already has.
Thorne adds before the potash mine came along in the 1980’s, the community already had a strong economy based on agriculture and forestry.
