Ontario provides supports for jobs, growth in local riding

Written By ALYSSA PARKHILL

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Dufferin-Caledon MPP Sylvia Jones was joined by local and provincial officials this past Fridat (Sept. 25) as she announced new supports for jobs and economic growth across the riding. 

Jones stood alongside Ernie Hardeman, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, several members of Caledon council, as well as TRCA members at the Albion Hills Conservation Centre, to talk about the funding from the provincial government for 66 projects across Ontario. 

The Rural Economic Development (RED) program was developed to support ‘activities that create strong rural communities in Ontario.' The support includes funding to help communities attract new and more jobs and investments to enhance economic growth, funding to build and support community capacity, as well as investments in rural communities to help diversify and grow economies. 

“We want to ensure that our rural communities remain great places to live, where our children learn, grow, work and play both now and in the future. And the Rural Economic Development Program is helping to do just that,” said Minister Hardeman. “This project supports projects that help create jobs and prosperity and investments in rural communities' economic development.” 

The Ontario government is investing $3 million in cost-share funding to help communities such as Caledon and Dufferin County. 

The Town of Caledon will receive $43,000 towards economic development and tourism, through virtual reality video productions and a new website to promote tourism, and the County of Dufferin is receiving $50,000 to look into opportunities to bolster the meat processing industry across the region. 

“It focuses on diversity, diversifying regional economics and improving the competitiveness of rural businesses in communities like Caledon across the province,” said Hardeman.  

Applications for funding are being accepted until Oct.9, and Minister Hardeman encourages not-for-profit organizations to apply to the RED program. 

“This is definitely going to help Caledon in so many ways move forward, and it will help our municipalities to promote and market our small business and tourist assets,” stated Mayor Allan Thompson. “It's the partnerships between the municipality, TRCA and the province of Ontario to help make things possible to better the needs for our smalls businesses here, but also for the rest of people of Ontario to come and enjoy and experience the great things that both Caledon and Dufferin have to offer.” 

Dufferin County Warden Darren White was also present for the announcement and was thrilled to receive funding to better understand the meant processing environment and capacity in Dufferin. 

“This project will conduct an environmental scan and needs analysis and will lay out an action plan for how we should move forward in pursuit of enhancing the availability of meat processing in Dufferin County,” said Warden White. 

For more information about the Rural Economic Development program visit ontario.ca.