Southern Ontario Spotlight - May 2022

The Community Futures Network of Canada (CFNC), is a community-based economic development network designed to help strengthen and diversify the economies of rural and remote communities. The network recently held its Rural & Resilient 2022 national conference highlighting the successes and contributions made across Canada’s rural, remote and Indigenous communities. Industry leaders from across the country met in Ottawa to share best practices and discuss new opportunities and approaches to developing strong, economically stable communities. FedDev Ontario Minister Helena Jaczek provided remarks on behalf of Canada’s regional development agencies, stating “We will continue to work closely with Canada’s Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) as they play a vital role delivering financial support, building partnerships and mentoring that local businesses and organizations in rural communities need.”

In southern Ontario, CFDCs are vital and trusted partners in delivering on FedDev Ontario’s commitments to provide targeted funding across the region. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, CFDCs were key partners in delivering over $83 million in support to rural businesses in need through the Government of Canada’s Regional Relief and Recovery Fund (RRRF). CFDCs also provided regionally tailored financial and business advisory support services to nearly 1,800 businesses to help them navigate the uncertainties of the pandemic and empower them to continue to grow into the future. For more information on the positive impact of CFDCs during the pandemic, read FedDev Ontario’s success story.

To coincide with recent funding announcements in the automobility and clean technology sectors, FedDev Ontario President Nancy Gardiner met with executives from several organizations to listen to their ideas, challenges and unique solutions that are helping place southern Ontario at the forefront of global innovation in their respective sectors.

Beginning in the Windsor-Essex region, Ms. Gardiner met with senior leadership at Invest WindsorEssex and the WEtech Alliance – key regional economic development stakeholders focused on developing and promoting the region as Canada’s automobility powerhouse. Discussions included the future of electric and autonomous vehicles, and how this type of innovation will help Canada achieve its plan for a net-zero economy through targeted investments in Windsor-Essex’s world-leading technologies.

In Waterloo Region, Ms. Gardiner had the opportunity to meet with stakeholders at Velocity, an incubator based out of the University of Waterloo that is focused on early-stage technology companies, with alumni including past FedDev Ontario funding recipients Bridgit, Nicoya and Mappedin. Ms. Gardiner also met with executives at Communitech, Waterloo Region’s premier innovation hub and a long-time partner of FedDev Ontario, as an opportunity to connect with some of the people, businesses and organizations that are making the region innovative and strong.

“These meetings have given me a wonderful insight into southern Ontario’s innovative, diverse economy. I am so proud of the work we are doing at FedDev Ontario and it was clear that our stakeholders have good working relationships with Agency staff. I particularly enjoyed hearing the perspectives of our stakeholders and exchanging ideas on priorities, and I look forward to connecting with more businesses and organizations in urban and rural communities across the region. It is through these collaborations that we can connect the dots between our programs and their impact in the region. It is amazing what you learn when you meet passionate people who are living their work every day.”

- Nancy Gardiner, President of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario

Tourism is essential to the vitality of local communities across southern Ontario, bringing millions of visitors to the region each year. May 29 marks the beginning of tourism week in Canada. Throughout the pandemic, tourism recovery initiatives have been a top priority for the Government of Canada and FedDev Ontario.

On April 29, FedDev Ontario announced over $2.6 million in support for eight community infrastructure and tourism projects in Guelph and Wellington County under the Canada Community Revitalization Fund (CCRF) and Tourism Relief Fund (TRF). This investment is helping to improve community infrastructure and enhance community offerings to safely welcome back visitors. The announcement was made at an event hosted by the City of Guelph, which received a non-repayable contribution of $750,000 to revitalize Riverside Park and its attractions, including the park bandshell and an amusement train ride.

“Public spaces and tourist attractions, such as Riverside Park, are important to the economy and vibrancy of the communities in Wellington County, as they draw visitors to the region and provide positive ripple economic benefits to local businesses. Today’s investment in eight community infrastructure and tourism projects will help to enhance existing community infrastructure and events that will draw visitors from near and far, boosting jobs and revenue in the region.”

– Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph

FedDev Ontario also announced a total investment of $68.5 million through the Tourism Relief Fund for Indigenous Tourism Ontario (ITO) and 11 Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs) across southern Ontario. These organizations received over 1,200 applications for tourism. Over the coming weeks, you can visit your local RTO website or ITO website to find out which tourism organizations were selected for support.

The Government of Canada’s $500-million Tourism Relief Fund is helping tourism-oriented businesses and organizations recover from the pandemic and prepare for future growth, with a minimum of $50 million of the Fund allocated to supporting Indigenous-led projects or Indigenous focussed projects. FedDev Ontario is delivering nearly $120 million of the Tourism Relief Fund across southern Ontario.