Sears Canada is opening a business services centre in Edmundston this spring, creating 180 new jobs. The jobs at the Edmundston centre will include business services agents, team leads, information technology support, human resources personnel, administrative support and managers. Recruitment and training is underway, with the centre scheduled to begin taking calls this spring. Opportunities NB, which worked with Sears Canada to choose a location for the centre, will contribute $2.2 million through a combination of payroll rebates and loans. The Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour will provide $458,000 through the One Job Pledge initiative, and the Regional Development Corporation will contribute $850,000. The government estimates these 180 new jobs will increase the provincial GDP by $8.9 million annually.