Engage and Energize-Empowering Teeny Tiny Places

We are thrilled to announce the 2025 Teeny Tiny Summit series, themed “Engage and Energize – Empowering Teeny Tiny Places.” These exciting events will take place on April 29 in Manitouwadge, May 1 in Picton, and June 18 in Strathroy-Caradoc.

Teeny Tiny Summits focus on economic development for small communities. They provide practical examples, tools, and opportunities to learn from leaders in these areas. Attendees can network with expert volunteers and active community leaders who share a passion for teeny tiny places. Whether you’re a community leader, rural volunteer, economic developer, or entrepreneur, this summit is ideal for you.

Manitouwadge and Picton Summits:

Peter Kenyon, a renowned community enthusiast and social capitalist from the Bank of IDEAS, Australia is the keynote speaker at the Manitouwadge and Picton summits. These summits promise to engage, energize and empower communities through locally driven development actions.

Peter Kenyon will cover a range of topics including:

1. Continually growing and diversifying local leadership and capacity.
2. Fostering a positive and can-do mindset.
3. Actively encouraging healthy community behaviours related to inclusion, conversation, engagement and collaboration.
4. Encouraging asset, idea and opportunity obsession.
5. Developing community “wow factor”.
6. Enhancing lifestyle options related to housing, childcare, recreation, education, health, retail services and staying local.
7. Creating an environment that supports local-based employment, enterprise and economic development.

The workshop will focus on these seven actions, providing community builders with the necessary principles, frameworks and tools to drive community change. The format will include presentations, interactive group exercises and an open space experience illustrated by stories, practical examples and humor.

Local speakers will address important issues:

• housing
• supporting youth
• growing community well-being
• funding of local initiatives

Strathroy-Caradoc Summit:

The Strathroy-Caradoc summit will highlight ideas and people that have contributed to building a strong community. 

Register now!

Don’t miss this opportunity to attend a Teeny Tiny Summit and be part of a transformative experience.

About Teeny Tiny Summits

The Ontario Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA) in partnership with the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA), supports Ontario’s smallest communities through Teeny Tiny Economic Development Summits. The Summits are focused on timely topics and challenges facing small rural communities. Since 2016 the Summits have reached over 2,750 participants from across Ontario.

About Peter Kenyon

Peter Kenyon, Director of the Bank of IDEAS, has over 40 years of experience in community and economic transformation. Peter is passionate about small rural town reinvention and has worked with over 2000 rural communities to spark their own ideas and invest in building sustainable economic futures. He has hosted the National Rural Aid ‘Small Town Reinvention’ national webinar program, lectured in graduate ‘Rural Entrepreneurial Development’ units, coordinated the “Community Builders” grassroots leadership program across Australia, formulated 200+ small town ‘Community Action Plans,’ and authored 25+ publications in the fields of community, enterprise, and youth development.