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Prime Minister announces
additional funding for Eastern Ontario projects
3 August 2006
Cornwall, Ontario
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Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced
additional funding for projects in Eastern Ontario as part of the Eastern
Ontario Development Program. This money will go toward business development,
skills enhancement and finding new and better ways of using technological
advances. Underlining the importance of this money, he said, “Funding these
community-based initiatives will greatly benefit Eastern Ontario cities,
including Cornwall.”
Speaking on the first day of the Conservative caucus retreat, the Prime Minister
also emphasized the importance of the City of Cornwall to the Canadian economy –
given its strategic location on a major transportation link to the United
States. And he praised the work of Team Cornwall in promoting the City and what
it has to offer businesses and investors.
“Cornwall is a great city enriched by the peaceful co-existence of English and
French for hundreds of years and of great economic and strategic importance to
Canada because of the Seaway International Bridge. The members of Team Cornwall
should be commended for their work as goodwill ambassadors for this great city.”
The Prime Minister also outlined some of the accomplishments of his Government
to date, and indicated some of the issues he would like Parliament to tackle in
the upcoming session. For example, he cited the Government’s success in cutting
taxes, noting, “Today, Ottawa is taxing less and that means more for you, your
businesses and families.”
In closing, the Prime Minister emphasized the bright future he sees for both
Canada and the region. And he extended his best wishes to Team Cornwall members
as they seek to make their community better known across Canada, adding, “You’ve
got a great story to tell, and I wish you the best of luck.”
* * * * * * * * * *
BACKGROUNDER
EASTERN ONTARIO DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
ISSUE
The Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) is a $10-million, short-term
contribution to a program aimed at addressing socio-economic challenges in rural
Eastern Ontario. The EODP provides resources to Community Futures Development
Corporations (CFDCs) which invest in a variety of initiatives focused on
community economic development, small business growth, and job creation. Funding
is for the period ending March 31, 2007.
ACTION
WHAT: The EODP takes an innovative, grassroots approach to economic development
– one that encourages local stakeholders to work together to create a
competitive and diversified regional economy. It supports community-based
initiatives in five strategic areas:
• Business and Community Development;
• Skills Development;
• Attracting and retaining youth;
• Improving access to Capital; and
• Enhancing the use of technology.
The EODP is managed by FedNor, the regional economic development organization
responsible for the Community Futures Program in rural Ontario. It is being
delivered by the 15 CFDCs located throughout rural Eastern Ontario. And it seeks
to foster business growth, job creation, and economic stability in rural Eastern
Ontario.
The EODP is based on the Eastern Ontario Development Fund, introduced in October
2004 as a $10 million initiative supporting economic renewal in rural Eastern
Ontario. A further $8.2 million in funding was subsequently provided, for total
funding of $18.2 million over 17 months. The Eastern Ontario Development Fund
sunsetted on March 31, 2006.
WHY: Rural Eastern Ontario needs this funding. A review of the development
needs of rural Southern Ontario as a whole (including rural Eastern Ontario)
identified significant socio-economic challenges which undermine the potential
of much of the region. Compared to Southern Ontario in its entirety, rural
Southern Ontario (including the EODP region) has lower population growth, lower
participation rates and higher unemployment. Compared to urban Ontario, rural
Southern Ontario suffers from a lack of economic diversification, resulting in a
higher reliance on primary industries and offering less opportunity for
employment in knowledge-based occupations.
The manufacturing sector in areas of rural Eastern Ontario has experienced
significant lay-offs since 2005. For example, the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry
region suffered the loss of more than 3000 manufacturing jobs. Domtar, the
largest and highest-paid employer in Cornwall, closed its pulp and paper mill on
March 31, 2006. A series of lay-offs at this facility, beginning in spring
2004, has resulted in a total loss of 1128 jobs.
Rural Eastern Ontario communities do not have the benefit of Regional
Development programming, which, in all other provinces, is available to support
economic and business development not only in rural communities, but also in
urban centres such as Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. There is some limited
provincial funding available for projects through funding programs of key
Ontario provincial ministries, such as Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and
the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The EODP funding allows rural Eastern Ontario
communities to be successful in levering the available provincial funds.
RESULTS
An independent formative evaluation of the Eastern Ontario Development Fund
received in November 2005 was positive and concluded that the Program is:
• Relevant to the economic development needs of the communities in Eastern
Ontario and uses an appropriate service delivery model is appropriate;
• Highly incremental and cost-effective and does not overlap or duplicate other
government programs; and
• Successful in achieving its intended outcomes.
This funding is important since it will allow rural Eastern Ontario communities
to continue aggressively pursuing economic opportunities so they can take charge
of their own economic future.
This is the body of the
announcement ...
For More Information Contact:
South Lake Community Futures Development Corporation
182 The Queensway South, Keswick, Ontario L4P 2A3
Tel: 905-476-1244
FAX: 905-476-9978
Internet:
pbudreo@ils.net
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