The Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) program is a structured action oriented and community-based approach to business and economic development. The BR+E process helps communities to prioritize their efforts in supporting their existing businesses.
Continue reading Business Retention + Expansion: a successful 4-stage community approach
Effective economic development requires an understanding of the local and regional economy. No one I know would argue this (especially not economic development practitioners). Data is critical to understanding the local and regional economy.
For example: Norfolk County is where I grew up and still frequently visit. Norfolk is a single tier municipality located on the north shore of Lake Erie (famous for its Friday the 13th biker rallies). Today Norfolk has a population of approximately 65,000 people. Continue reading Effective economic development requires data
OMAFRA is working with the agriculture community to provide opportunities to expand agriculture in Northern Ontario with a website that offers clients information to help them make their expansion or investment decisions. September 1, 2015 is the launch date for the website. Check it out farmnorth.com. Continue reading Farming the North – Growing opportunities for agriculture in Northern Ontario
When it comes to revitalizing a downtown, people often think of structural and tangible improvements. However, frequently there is more to the picture than the appearance of the downtown. Continue reading Overview of Ontario’s Downtown Revitalization Program
The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs introduced the Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) program in 1998 to support economic development efforts of rural communities. BR+E is a structured act
on-oriented and community-based approach to business and economic development. Continue reading Updates to the Ontario Business Retention & Expansion Program Resources
Downtown Revitalization Community of Practice sessions are an excellent opportunity for downtown revitalization 
coordinators, volunteers and community leaders to network, gain insights into the experiences, successes and challenges communities have faced on their downtown revitalization journey Continue reading Ontario Downtown Revitalization Community of Practice Sessions
Welcome to our blog.
We are always looking for ways to better connect with you. Our stakeholders have taken to social media so we thought it is time we did too. This blog is designed to keep you up to date with the latest information on how you can grow your agriculture and economic development initiatives.
I joined the Regional Economic Development Branch (REDB) in January of 2015 and have been tasked with the job of leading a team of passionate and highly knowledgeable economic development specialists and advisors across the province whom are dedicated to helping you develop and advance your plans. The training, information and tools our team can provide are designed to move your economic and agriculture development initiatives in the right direction, driving prosperity in your community.
Prior to arriving here at OMAFRA, I spent 4 years with the Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure (MEDEI) where I was focused on helping small and medium sized businesses grow. Many of these businesses reside in rural Ontario where retaining and expanding business was critical to supporting the economic fabric in their regions. Leveraging the experience and connections I gained while with MEDEI will undoubtedly serve me well, and the Regional Economic Development Branch here at OMAFRA too.
Having only been here a short while, I have come to understand and appreciate the hard work the folks at OMAFRA do to ensure we are working to better serve clients across the province every day. Truth in the matter though, we depend on client feedback to ensure we are helping clients where they need it most. If you have suggestions, we want to hear them. If you have concerns, please let us know. I’m excited at the possibilities that lay ahead. My team has talent, expertise and passion for the work they do. When you succeed, we know we’ve done our job. To reach the advisor in your area, please visit our website.
Enjoy the blog and hope our paths cross in the near future.
Doug
Doug Reddick
Director, Regional Economic Development Branch
You’re a small community in rural Ontario. You have a stable or declining population, no downtown core, no economic development officer and no strong drivers of economic activity. Give up, right? Not so fast…
Economic development is a means to an end goal, which is community well-being. And Teeny Tiny Places can improve community well-being as much as any other place. They simply work on a different scale and with a different toolkit. Continue reading Too Small for Economic Development? 5 Strategies for Teeny Tiny Places.
I recently had the opportunity to attend the Performance and Planning Exchange (PPX) Symposium in Ottawa, Ontario. This international centre of excellence provides learning, sharing and the development of expertise in performance and planning – including its measurement, implementation, public reporting and management. Primarily catering to a federal government audience, it was beneficial to understand the culture of performance measurement that is entrenched and how the use of evidence-based measurement drives federal transfer payments. I was also interested to learn that the messaging they provide in their results-based management 101 course is very similar to the Regional Economic Development Branch’s Measuring Up! performance measurement resource. Continue reading Two Takeaways for Successful Performance Measurement from PPX
OMAFRA partnered with the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies to deliver the strategic planning ‘Train-the-Trainer’ project in 2014.
Continue reading Outcomes from the Strategic Planning Pilot Project
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