Agricultural Development, Local Food

Registration open – Selling Food to Ontario Training Workshop

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Registration is now open for the FREE Selling Food to Ontario Training Workshop, brought to you by collaboration between OMAFRA, York Region, and the Town of Georgina!

Looking to learn more about different sales channels, how they work and how to decide which channel(s) may be best for business? This webinar will help you create new opportunities for your farm or food business by learning how to expand into new markets such as farmers’ markets, restaurants, food service, and food retailers.

This webinar is best suited for farmers, producers, food & beverage start-ups, small food & beverage manufacturers and food business retailers/restaurants.

The webinar will take place on Thursday, November 5th, 2020 (8:45am-12:30pm), and participants will hear from expert speaker on the topics of:

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Economic Development

Recapping the Pandemic Response and Recovery Webinar

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On Tuesday September 29th, OMAFRA hosted the “Retooling for Economic Recovery Webinar”. Topics centred on economic development programs and tools can be used to enhance economic recovery efforts. The webinar covered the following areas:

  • Leadership & Economic Recovery Teams
  • Using Data to Guide Recovery
  • Altering Business Retention & Expansion During a Pandemic

Below are some key takeaways from the webinar:

Continue reading Recapping the Pandemic Response and Recovery Webinar →
Economic Development

Updated agenda- 2020 Virtual Municipal Agriculture, Economic Development & Planning Forum

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The 12th annual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum is being hosted virtually by Huron County on November 18-19, 2020. Two half days of sessions will be supplemented with a virtual tour of Huron County and some of its most exciting agricultural and rural projects. Read our last blog post for an overview of the event.

Registration is now open – select the registration link to sign up for the Forum. Day 1 & 2 – $75

Forum Agenda

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Economic Development

Teeny Tiny Summit – Creatively Bringing Communities Together Recap

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The second virtual Teeny Tiny Summit that took place on September 23rd, 2020 discussed how communities have been able to promote engagement and activity in alternative formats throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Speakers shared insight on engagement initiatives that their teams have coordinated to provide support to the community and other organizations.

Below are key items and initiatives from each of the speakers and organizations mentioned:

Continue reading Teeny Tiny Summit – Creatively Bringing Communities Together Recap →
Agricultural Development, Economic Development

Register Now – 2020 Virtual Municipal Agriculture, Economic Development & Planning Forum

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Registration is now open – select one of the following registration links below to sign up for the Forum

The 12th annual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum is being hosted virtually by Huron County on November 18-19, 2020. Two half days of sessions will be supplemented with a virtual tour of Huron County and some of its most exciting agricultural and rural projects.

If your portfolio includes rural planning, economic development or any aspect of the agriculture sector – food, farming, ag value chain businesses, workforce attraction, or agricultural innovation you won’t want to miss the 2020 Forum. The Forum will be of interest to municipal economic developers, planners, council members, CAO’s, and supporters of local economic development initiatives. The Forum looks at leading edge collaborations and innovations to grow the ag sector and your community. Two days of sessions cover a wide range of timely topics including:

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Economic Development

Targeted intake of the Rural Economic Development (RED) Program

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The Rural Economic Development (RED) program provides funding to help create jobs and boost growth in rural communities. On September 18th, the Ontario government announced that it is providing nearly $1 M in cost-share funding via a special intake of RED.

The goal of the special intake is to help diversify economies as the province reopens. The intake is open from Sept. 21 – Oct.9, 2020.

The maximum provincial cost-share for eligible costs is 70%, to a maximum of $75,000 per project. All costs must be incurred on or before March 31, 2021, and projects will not be extended beyond this date.

This funding is being provided through new targeted intake of the Rural Economic Development Program (RED).

Who is eligible for funding?

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Economic Development

Teeny Tiny Summit – Creatively Bringing Community Together

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Join us for the next Teeny Tiny Summit taking place on Wednesday, September 23rd from 10:30 am – 12:00 pm to hear about creative ways communities have been brought together. For registration and event details, visit the Teeny Tiny Summit page.

Why should I attend Teeny Tiny Summit?

  • Become inspired – learn of relevant examples from a community like yours
  • A breath of fresh air –refresh with new perspective and insight from other small communities
  • Discover – learn about pursuing economic development goals in your community

Session Topics

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Economic Development

Retooling For Economic Recovery – Webinar

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How can data be used to guide economic recovery?

How can BR+E be adapted to suit pandemic response?

What is the form and function of an economic recovery team?

Join us on September 29, 2020 (10:00 – 11:00am) as we unpack these questions and more during a 60-minute webinar focused on how OMAFRA economic development programs and tools can be used to enhance your economic recovery efforts.

While certain businesses are struggling in the short term, communities need to be prepared to capitalize on the growth opportunities created in certain segments of local economies. During the Retooling for Economic Recovery webinar, we will be covering a multitude of topics intended to inform and guide strategies and approaches to enhance recovery and growth efforts, including:

  • How to effectively track changes in your downtown
  • Data sources to monitor your recovery
  • How communities are tailoring their BR+E surveys and approach
  • The form and function of economic recovery teams

To register for the webinar, please fill out this registration form.

Agricultural Development

Recap: Always in Season Community of Practice Session

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On August 20, 2020 the Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Community of Practice webinar highlighted the new Always in Season Toolkit. Participants heard how different communities have introduced initiatives to help strengthen their agri-food sector.

The Always in Season toolkit is designed to help guide communities through potential activities, key performance metrics, funding opportunities, and ways to collaborate to support the agri-food sector. The toolkit is available in both French and English and provides resources for community organizations and municipalities to help them strengthen the role of local food in the community. The toolkit shows users how to:

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Economic Development

Teeny Tiny Summit Goes Virtual!

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The Teeny Tiny Summits began in 2016 as a forum to discuss scale-appropriate economic development techniques in Ontario’s smallest communities. Since then,1300 people have attended 11 summits. Feedback from participants tells us that they always come away inspired and engaged, with ideas that they can put into practice right away in their communities. This year, a virtual format was adopted for the first time. But just like previous offerings, participants benefited from the wisdom of their peers and were every bit as inspired as they have been in the past. Continue reading Teeny Tiny Summit Goes Virtual! →

Regional Economic Development Branch blog focusing on agriculture and rural economic development for Ontario