The Nominating Committee of the Ontario East Board of Directors submitted three candidates for nomination to the Board of Directors  earlier this month. Three (3) valid nominations were received by Active Members for replacement of two (2) retiring Active Member directors.

Subsequent to the Call for Nominations process a director resigned as an Active Member director to take a position where he will now be a Government Member of Ontario East.

The Nominating Committee recommended that all three nominees be accepted and brought forward to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in February for final approval by the Voting Members.

The Active Member complement on the Board will remain at eight (8) along with two (2) Associate Members, in accordance with the bylaws of the Commission.

It was not necessary to conduct an election this year as the nominations aligned with vacancies. The following nominees will be recommended for appointment at the AGM:

Congratulations and thank you to departing Director Trevor Crowe who has accepted a position with OMAFRA effective November 23, 2020 but plans to remain engaged with Ontario East Economic Development Commission.

The other departing directors will be recognized at the Annual General Meeting.

Are you wanting to promote the arrival of the Employer One survey to your employers? Here's an article on Employer One to share on social media and your emails now to make sure we get as much data in the region collected as possible. There's also an article about the 9 Reasons to Relocate (to eastern Ontario) you can proudly pass on to everyone who is not already jealous of where you live.

The Ontario East Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (WEP) was launched in late summer 2019 and is funded by the Government of Canada's Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario). The three year program is administered regionally under the guidance of the Ontario East Economic Development Commission and delivered locally by the pilot partners in Northumberland County, Kawartha Lakes, Leeds & Grenville, Prescott Russell and Durham Region.

WEP delivers business development tools, resources, methods and mentoring in a virtual environment to help women start and grow their businesses. The project moved existing “in-office” resources to online meeting and collaboration tools to reach women entrepreneurs at their locations.

The pilot project pre-dated the COVID-19 pandemic where the use of such virtual tools as Zoom, Webex, Microsoft Teams, Google Meets, Facebook and others are now common place.

As we approach the midway point of the program, the results continue to be very positive, despite the challenges of the pandemic. We are pleased to share some key performance indicators (KPIs) on the project to date. The intent of the pilot is to test the model and then expand to other communities in Ontario East region and beyond pending future funding.

Please visit our program website for more details:

The pandemic has placed manufacturing in the spotlight, whether it be manufacturing personal protective equipment to stop COVID-19 or buying local to boost the economy.

On November 18th, Ottawa Business Journal and its partners launched STUFF Made and Built in Eastern Ontario, a multimedia project that explores regional manufacturing. The glossy magazine and website includes profiles of the 35 coolest things made in Eastern Ontario and articles on topics such as logistics, warehousing, food production and educational programs that help people develop careers in manufacturing and skilled trades.

The virtual launch took place on YouTube Live and featured interviews with Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Dennis Darby, the CEO of the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, and much more.

The Ontario government is investing over $2.2 million through the Ontario Together Fund to provide small businesses with free, tailored financial advice and online training to help them make informed financial decisions and navigate the unprecedented economic circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Government of Canada is pleased to announce that the calls for concepts for the Black Entrepreneurship Program Ecosystem Fund and Knowledge Hub components have now been launched!

The National Ecosystem Fund will provide funding to Black-led not-for-profit organizations to strengthen their capacity to provide support, financial planning services, and business training for Black entrepreneurs and business owners.

The Township of North Glengarry is seeking an independent, enthusiastic, dynamic individual who is also a strong team player to support its Development and Marketing Strategy.

The ideal candidate will have experience in real estate development, economic development, in the municipal or broader public sectors. Their post-secondary education will be in marketing, commerce, economic development, communications, or related discipline, or pertinent experience in a related field.

The meat processing sector is one of the largest food processing sectors in Ontario, with over $2 billion in GDP in 2019. Speakers from OMAFRA, Meat and Poultry Ontario, and local community examples will provide an opportunity to learn about the Ontario meat processing sector, understanding the regulatory environment, and also hear examples from those who are aiding in the retention, resiliency, and expansion of this sector.

Registration for EDCO’s 64th Annual EDCO Conference and Showcase, EvolveON, is now open!

Take advantage of what the EDCO Conference has become known for in the industry – a diverse and thought-provoking program that will inspire, educate and empower economic developers across the province. This year is no different! Grab a coffee and join your fellow economic developers every Wednesday morning from January 20 to February 29, 2021.

Ontario East's New Mailing Address

Ontario East Economic Development Commission

623 Fortune Crescent

Suite 100

Kingston ON K7P 0L5