For Immediate Release
September 5, 2007

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT INVESTS IN NORTH SIMCOE

Community Revitalization Project Will Enhance Local Business Competitiveness

MIDLAND - The McGuinty government is investing in the development of a long-term plan to strengthen the economy of North Simcoe, Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced today.

"This new plan will help make local businesses more competitive and will help North Simcoe strengthen and diversify its existing business community," said Dombrowsky. "Investing in an up-to-date business inventory will help create a long term marketing plan that will benefit the entire community."

The province will contribute $35,000 to help the North Simcoe Community Futures Development Corporation and its partner, the Simcoe County Training Board, create an up-to-date business inventory and business retention and expansion report.

"Thanks to the support of the provincial government, we can now proceed with developing and implementing a strategy to assist our local businesses," said Christopher Johnston, chairman, North Simcoe Community Futures Development Corporation. "This strategy will identify challenges that local businesses are experiencing and develop action plans that our community can put in place to ensure a vibrant and diversified business community."

This is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in rural Ontario. Other examples include:

Today's investment was made through the Rural Economic Development (RED) Program, which invests in community-based projects that support sustainable rural economies in three priority areas: improved access to health care services, revitalized communities and downtowns, and enhanced skills training.

Through the RED Program, the province has invested $45.1 million in 139 projects, representing a total investment of $477.4 million in rural Ontario, since 2003. The Ontario government and its partners are building strong rural communities that work better for the people who live in them.

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Contacts:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416-326-6439

Brent Ross
Communications Branch
416-326-9342