At the Ontario East Annual General Meeting (AGM), we will approve audited financials, appoint officers and provide an update on Ontario East activities for the past year, and plans for the future.

Welcome – C. King, President

This event is free and open to all members of the Ontario East Economic Development Commission.

We hope to see you there!

Ontario East is pleased to announce that the Ontario East Municipal Conference (OEMC) is scheduled to be held in-person on September 14-16, 2022 at the NAV Centre in Cornwall.

Please click HERE for details and information regarding the Call for Speakers for OEMC 2022. The deadline for session submissions is March 15, 2022.

We invite you to forward the Call for Speakers to any other individuals or organizations you feel would make a contribution to this great event.

Check out the OEMC website for the most up-to-date details regarding this year's event.

We are proud to invite you to StrikeUP 2022, a FREE digital conference dedicated to supporting women entrepreneurs and providing a forum for growth, mentorship, and financing.

StrikeUP 2022 is a free digital conference on March 3, 2022, featuring keynotes, panels, workshops, learning labs, chatrooms, networking and support resources as the kick-off and signature event to launch International Women’s Month.

NEW THIS YEAR - Face-to-face digital one-on-one networking with thousands of women entrepreneurs will be available throughout the entire conference!

Our best bet to help employers right now is the same thing as employers' best bet to help themselves: talk about what you're doing and what you need so that help can come from anywhere.

To help economic and workforce developers facilitate this conversation, OE-TISP has three new articles for you to distribute on your social media and email channels:

1. How to Attract Employees When You’ve Got Lots of Competition

2. How to Recruit: Employers Can Attract Great Employees During COVID

3. How to Avoid the Great Resignation in Canada

Cornwall Ontario – The City of Cornwall has recently sold over 150 acres in the Cornwall Business Park and is working towards extending roads and services to accommodate new development.

“We are very happy to welcome new investment in the Cornwall Business Park, which will lead to new assessment and new jobs,” says Mayor Glen Grant. “Council has worked with City administration to ensure that we maintain a ready supply of employment lands and this strategy is achieving the desired result of new development.”

The recent sale of 159 acres will see four new developments in the logistics and transportation sectors, including two large developments of 62 and 80 acres.

Kingston, along with seven other municipalities in Eastern Ontario, will now have access to Rogers Communication’s 5G network, which aims to improve wireless service and connectivity across the country.

Together with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN), Rogers announced on Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, that it has extended its 5G network to reach more residents and businesses across eight new cities and towns throughout Eastern Ontario. Rogers 5G is now available in the following areas:

Biscuits Leclerc Ltée will be coming to Brockville, as the leading Canadian food manufacturer has announced it has purchased the former Proctor & Gamble factory.

The move is part of the expansion of its North American operations where $100 million will be invested by the company, and 200 new jobs will be created within the community.

Latham NY – (January 26, 2022) – Latham Group, Inc. (“Latham” or “the Company”) (Nasdaq: SWIM), the largest designer, manufacturer and marketer of in-ground residential swimming pools in North America, Australia and New Zealand, today announced the company is expanding its facilities to Loyalist Township in Ontario, Canada, with a 148-acre fiberglass manufacturing plant. With the new facility, Latham will be able to serve markets in both the eastern half of Canada, as well as the northeast and upper Midwest of the United States, producing pools for the company’s fiberglass brands including Latham and Narellan Pools.

Toronto – The Ontario government is launching a new intake of the Rural Economic Development (RED) program on February 7, 2022 to help build rural Ontario by investing in projects that boost economic opportunities in rural and Indigenous communities, create jobs and strengthen the labour force.

Details of the intake were announced today by Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, at the 2022 Rural Ontario Municipal Association virtual annual conference.

Belleville — The Ontario government is supporting an investment of more than $14 million by two Belleville-area companies to help strengthen local manufacturing, create good jobs and support regional economic recovery and growth. Combined, the province is investing $1 million in the local manufacturing sector through the Regional Development Program, which will help create 37 jobs.

“The Regional Development Program continues to support manufacturers through targeted investments that allow companies to create good local jobs,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “These two projects are making a significant impact in communities and economies in the Belleville region by helping to secure the private-sector investment to create the conditions for viable economic growth and job creation. We thank Sprague Foods and Ontario Truss & Wall for contributing to our province’s dynamic and diverse manufacturing sector.”

Peterborough – The Ontario government is supporting an investment of nearly $5.5 million by three companies in Eastern Ontario to help strengthen local manufacturing, create jobs, attract investment and boost regional economic recovery. The province is investing nearly $633,000 through the Regional Development Program, which will help create 20 jobs.

“The Regional Development Program continues to support local manufacturers through targeted investments that allow businesses to create good local jobs,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “We thank Kawartha Metals, Colonial Concepts Log & Timberframe and Bélair Mechatronics for making a significant impact in their communities and for contributing to our province’s dynamic and growing manufacturing sector.”

Havelock — The Ontario government is supporting a more than $37 million investment by Kawartha Ethanol with $2.5 million through the Ontario Together Fund. The new investment will help the Havelock-based company expand its local production capabilities to manufacture high-grade, pure ethanol for hand sanitizers and disinfectants to help our continued fight against COVID-19.

“Through the Ontario Together Fund, our government is making strategic investments in domestic businesses with the ideas and solutions to help us through this pandemic and put us on the road to economic recovery,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Kawartha Ethanol and their new capacity to make high-grade ethanol for sanitizer is another example of Ontario innovation at its very best. Ontario manufacturers continue to enhance our resilience to any challenge while strengthening our economy.”