The Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) program, led by the Ministry of Rural Affairs, survey tools help communities to engage their businesses and then develop action plans to help make communities a great place to do business.

The 2024 BR+E results are based on data from five community projects and over 280 businesses. Below is what Ontario’s rural businesses have shared:

The BR+E survey asks targeted questions across five key areas:

• business information
• business development
• business climate
• future plans
• workforce

BR+E  is an important step for many communities in Ontario planning to engage with the business community. BR+E is designed to support local economic development by helping communities create more jobs and strengthen their local economies. Through a BR+E program communities create a strategic action plan, become ambassadors for growth and help improve the competitiveness of existing businesses.

To learn more visit our website : https://www.ontario.ca/page/business-retention-and-expansion-program