We wish to thank everyone who participated in the 2021 Ontario East Municipal Conference and contributed to another successful event. OEMC 2021 was full of informative sessions and engaging conversations, filled with innovative strategies, new ideas, tools, and actionable tactics for the future.

If you have not already done so, please be sure to complete the OEMC evaluations while the details are still fresh in your mind. Your feedback and comments are important to us as we review our second virtual conference.

And please make sure to visit the OEMC Virtual Exhibit Hall by Friday, November 12, 2021. There is still time to connect with our sponsors.

Visit each booth and fill in the contact card and be entered into a draw to win a $100.00 Gift Card to a local restaurant or store in your municipality* (gift card provided by OEMC)! Each virtual booth has a contact card pop-up which can be minimized while you browse the virtual booth.

The 2021 Municipal Agriculture Economic Development & Planning Forum is being hosted virtually by The Regional Municipality of York and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) from November 3-4, 2021.

This event will feature a number of industry speakers, expert panels, an overview of York Region’s agriculture and agri-food sector and much more.

This is a great opportunity for those with an interest in regional and local economic development and land use planning to learn, network and share experiences.

The Leeds Grenville Economic Development Office, in partnership with Michael Barrett M.P., the Hon. Steve Clark, M.P.P., the Eastern Workforce Innovation Board and the 1000 Islands, Grenville and Valley Heartland Community Futures Development Corporations, invite you to the region’s top Economic Development event of the year.

Join Leeds Grenville for a day focused on Economic Development and Leadership. The Bill Thake Award will be presented. For the second year, the summit will be held virtually. Last year more than 230 people joined in.

[EASTERN ONTARIO] The Ontario East Economic Development Commission (Ontario East) recognized Donna Gillespie, CEO, Kingston Economic Development Corporation, as the "Ontario East EDO of the Year" at the Opening Ceremonies of the Ontario East Municipal Conference (OEMC) being held online today and tomorrow.

The award is sponsored by ResearchFDI, one of Canada's leading investment attraction agencies, founded by Bruce Takefman, who was a member of the awards selection committee.

Last week OEMC workforce sessions included robust discussions after excellent knowledge sharing.

Highlights were pandemic-recovery SAO delivery and the Junior Achievement/Skills Ontario Entrepreneurship & Skilled Trades program for women in Peterborough.

If you missed it and want to be part of workforce innovation in eastern Ontario, email workforcedevelopment@ontarioeast.ca.

The Grenville CFDC Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Katie Nolan has been hired as the organization's new Executive Director, succeeding Heather Lawless who is retiring from the position in December.

A Kemptville resident, Katie Nolan is an award-winning economic developer with extensive experience in rural community economic development. Well known as a leader in the local food movement, rural community engagement, and business retention and expansion strategies, Ms. Nolan was recognized by the Ontario East Economic Development Commission (OEEDC) in 2019 as the "Ontario East Economic Developer of the Year".

TORONTO – Today, the Ontario government launches a pilot program to help municipalities and landowners prepare industrial sites for investments that will drive regional growth and job creation.

The Site Readiness Program is a funding initiative to help industrial sites become more equipped to attract investment. Sites of five acres or more and with varying capacity for utility servicing are eligible to apply. The one-year program will allow both urban and rural municipalities to help close a critical gap in the inventory of industrial lands used to attract global investment opportunities.

The pilot will allow landowners to complete the program in one year or less and identify which site preparatory work to complete. “One of the missing pieces in the province’s land inventory is the diversity of industrial sites to meet the needs of a variety of industries,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “The launch of the Site Readiness Program will offer municipalities and industrial landowners across the province more flexibility to help bring their sites to market more quickly, compete globally and provide more options for site selectors and investors.”