Category: Economic Development
-
Attend the virtual Teeny Tiny Summit – Featuring Peter Kenyon on March 31, 2026
Be inspired by Peter Kenyon’s keynote session, “Building Community & Business Prosperity through Storytelling and the Experience Economy”. Rural communities are rich with stories, character, creativity and potential! On Tuesday, March 31, those strengths take centre stage at the virtual Teeny Tiny Summit, featuring internationally renowned community-builder, Peter Kenyon. When: Tuesday, March 31 from 9:30…
-
BR+E Training Sessions – Starting May 7, 2026
Is your community interested in learning more about how a Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) can help you engage with local businesses and take strategic actions to support businesses in your community? Plan to attend the Ministry of Rural Affair’s upcoming BR+E training sessions to learn about best practices for engaging businesses and the steps…
-
Agriculture Economic Development Training starting April 15, 2026
Strengthening Ontario’s Rural Economies Through Agriculture Agriculture plays a central role in Ontario’s rural economy – driving jobs, investment, and vibrant communities. By building agriculture economic development capacity, communities can better adapt to change, support local businesses and strengthen long-term resilience. To help municipalities, economic development professionals and community partners make the most of these…
-
Congratulations to EDCO Rural Award Recipients!
The Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) Awards of Excellence celebrate the innovative, collaborative, and standout initiatives led by economic development teams across the province. Each year, award recipients are recognized as emerging best practices in the field and are viewed as leaders in economic development. Their projects often serve as models for others and…
-
Clarifying Your Project Concept: First Step before Writing an Effective Funding Proposal
You have an idea for a project, but what is your first step? Start by mapping out your thoughts so you can express your idea clearly. When you can articulate what you want to do, why it’s important, and how you will do it, you have created a base for crafting an effective project proposal.…
-
Strategic Planning for Your Organization – Webinar Series
A Free Webinar Training Series For Not-for-Profit Organizations begins February 25, 2026! This free train-the-trainer webinar series is designed for organizations to gain valuable skills and tools to facilitate their own strategic planning. Based on the Ministry of Rural Affairs’ Strategic Planning Resource manual, this step-by-step interactive webinar series will help organizations improve their effectiveness,…
-
Moving to Action: Recent BR+E Findings from Rural Ontario
Ontario’s Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) program is an impactful collaboration between government, community leaders and local businesses – working together to spark growth, keep jobs and strengthen the local economy. Recent BR+E projects in Southgate, Pembroke and Scugog have uncovered valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing rural businesses. These initiatives reflect a…
-
Webinar: Turning Data Insights into Planning Action – December 16, 2025
Improve your community impact by joining us for an insightful webinar designed to empower organizations and municipalities to harness data effectively for strategic, operational and sector plan development. What you will learn: Who should attend: Anyone interested in using data to inform community economic and workforce development Registration: This FREE webinar is offered by the…
-
Meet Laurie Caouette: Helping Rural Ontario Communities Thrive
MRA’s Newest Economic and Development Advisor At the Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA), our Economic and Business Advisors play an important role in supporting the growth and resilience of Ontario’s rural communities. We are excited to introduce Laurie Caouette, who recently joined MRA as the Economic and Business Advisor for eastern Ontario. Laurie supports communities…
-
Join the 17th Annual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development and Planning Forum in Collingwood
October 22–23, 2025 Join us for the 17th Annual Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum (MAEDPF), themed “Cultivating Common Ground.” Co-hosted by the Ministry of Rural Affairs and the County of Simcoe, this two-day forum will be held at the Georgian Bay Hotel & Conference Centre in Collingwood. “The County of Simcoe is excited…