Since February 2019, OMAFRA has delivered 12 Community Economic Development Sessions across Ontario.

Further sessions will run from March 21, 2019 to May 22, 2019. Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn the benefits of planning for economic development.

Community Economic Development (CED 101) is the process of fostering an environment that results in the creation of wealth and well-being for the benefit of the community. CED 101 training sessions are aimed at teaching participants the basics of community economic development and how to tailor these strategies to your community. These sessions will also demonstrate the value of planning in your community, the importance of collaborative roles of individuals and organizations and the tools and resources available to you to support region-specific efforts.

See below for training sessions to be held in your region:

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Selecting a suitable sampling method for your Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) is a key step towards ensuring the overall success of your project. BR+E is a structured, action-oriented, community-based approach to business and economic development. It promotes job growth by helping communities learn about local business conditions in order to set priorities for initiatives that address needs and capitalize on opportunities.

Since 2008, over 7,000 businesses have been engaged as part of 172 projects that have been completed or are underway across the province. A good sample will allow for the effective implementation of effective actions, whereas a poorly selected sample may make it difficult to develop solid goals.

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This year, OMAFRA will be partnering with communities across Ontario to host five Teeny Tiny Summits. The summits are dedicated to fostering community economic development in Ontario’s smallest places. These opportunities will provide rural communities with access to a world-class community development expert, Peter Kenyon, who will discuss how communities can apply strategies.

Each summit will begin with a keynote address from Peter Kenyon, who will be giving his “Big Ideas for Small Places” talk. Next, there will be various panels focusing on how small communities have an impact in Ontario, followed by mentorship tables, Teeny Tiny Success stories and closing remarks.

The “Teeny Tiny Places” initiative began in 2015 in response to an observed lack of participation among very small communities in economic development programs. The summits provide participants with examples and relevant tools that will help while inspire and motive the work they do in their own community.

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Agriculture and Rural Economic Development Advisor with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Catherine Oosterbaan, was named the 2018 EDCO Young Influencer of the Year Award winner at the 2019 EDCO Conference in Toronto last month.

This award recognizes the next thought leader or community organizer who is committed to facilitating change and fostering economic development in their community. EDCO’s Awards of Excellence program aims to recognize and celebrate the outstanding work in economic development happening around the province of Ontario.

Continue reading OMAFRA Advisor Catherine Oosterbaan takes home 2018 EDCO Award →

On January 24, 2019, the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the creation of a new federal immigration pilot focused on supporting economic development in rural and northern communities. This pilot will partner selected communities in Ontario, Western Canada and the territories with the federal government to test new approaches to retaining economic immigrants who can support local economic development needs.

Continue reading Rural Immigration Pilot Program →