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:
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.
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.
OMAFRA is offering a workshop on Friday, February 15 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the 2019 Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies Convention for the Measuring Your Societies Performance to Tell Your Story Workshop. The conference is taking place at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel & Suites, in Richmond Hill, Ontario from Thursday February 14th to Friday February 15th.
Helen Scutt, Agriculture Organization Specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, will be presenting on how to use performance measures to increase accountability, support evidence-based decision-making, and keep your society focused on continuous improvement.
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.
Are you looking to support and grow the economy in your community? Community Economic Development (CED) is the process of fostering an environment that results in the creation of wealth and well-being for the benefit of the community.
These no charge regional workshops are designed for those involved in local economic development, such as municipal councilors, economic development practitioners, and volunteer committee members with economic development responsibilities. Learn and take away practical tools to help your municipality develop and implement an effective economic development strategy. Continue reading CED 101 – Learn the Basics of Community Economic Development→
The results for the January 2018 – December 2018 roll up report are in! Insights from 11 BR+E projects across Ontario have been reviewed, and the key findings have been compiled in this infographic. For clients with ongoing BR+E Projects, the roll up offers a benchmark to measure the success of their own BR+E Project against the Provincial average. In comparison, clients who are interested in starting a project can use the roll up report to help identify an area of focus for their project.
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.
The Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) is focused on building the capacity of its member Business Improvement Areas (BIAs) through advocacy, networking, and education. OBIAA represents, supports, and encourages business improvement areas to increase their effectiveness and contributions to the economic, cultural, and social well-being of communities across Ontario.
OBIAA’s annual conference draws delegates from across the province. The conference is one of the major learning events for Ontario’s BIA leaders and members, and allows for the sharing of knowledge and leading practices that focus on fostering community development in urban and rural town centres and commercial districts. The annual Awards showcase BIAs who demonstrate a commitment to improving their communities through innovative projects and initiatives, making these awards a highlight of the conference. Continue reading Ontario Business Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) 2018 Winners→
The Communicating Agriculture to Municipal Council – Community of Practice webinar held on December 6th highlighted ways to educate the public and elected officials about the important role agriculture plays in robust economies.
One way to inform people about the importance of agriculture is to offer a farm and food tour in the community. Typically these tours provide an opportunity for participants get to know what issues the local agriculture sector is facing. They also provide hands-on experience for those who are visiting a farm for the first time.
