Eastern Ontario At The Royal

McGuinty Government Helps Brand Eastern Ontario Agri-businesses

Provincial funding of $90,000 is being invested in a 3,000 square-foot booth at the fair, where fifteen Community Futures Development Corporations from eastern Ontario have partnered to represent their region.

The funding is part of the Rural Economic Development Program, which invests in community-based projects in three priority areas:

• Improved access to health care services
• Revitalized communities and downtowns
• Enhanced skills training.

QUOTES

"This project will help benefit the local economy through increased numbers of visitors and investors to the region, improved business contacts in Toronto and surrounding areas and increased sales of local products," said Lou Rinaldi, MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West.

"With the support from the province, eastern Ontario products and services will have exposure to more than 330,000 visitors at the Royal," said Wendy Curtis, Executive Director, Northumberland Community Futures Development Corporation. "This project will help more than 50 agri-businesses in eastern Ontario benefit from increased sales."

QUICK FACTS

• Since 2003, Ontario has invested $60.3 million in 185 projects through the Rural Economic Development Program.
• MacIntosh apples were first grown in eastern Ontario.

LEARN MORE

Find out more about eastern Ontario.

Learn more about the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which takes place November 7 to 16, 2008.

For more information, contact:

Sherry Persaud, Minister's Office, 416-326-6439
Brent Ross, Communications Branch, 416-326-9342