Rural Economic Development (RED) Program
News Release

For Immediate Release January 26, 2006

Ontario Government Supports Community Revitalization in Eastern Ontario

Invests In Information Database And Geographic Information System Website

Napanee -- The Ontario government is supporting community revitalization by investing in a database and a website to help raise the profile of Eastern Ontario with potential investors, Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced today.

"Ontario's success depends on building strong communities, a strong economy and a healthy environment in rural Ontario," said Dombrowsky. "This announcement supports Ontario's rural plan to provide rural communities with the right tools to prosper."

The government will invest $117,500 to help the Ontario East Economic Development Commission and its partners develop a bilingual information database and geographic information system (GIS) based website. GIS is a technology that is used to view and analyze data from a geographic perspective. A web presence will raise the profile of Eastern Ontario to potential investors and strengthen the economy in this area.

"We are pleased that the Ontario government has chosen to support this project," said Gerrit DeBruyn, president of Ontario East Economic Development Commission. "I am proud of our strong partnership with the 15 Eastern Ontario Community Futures Development Corporations who made this application a success."

Today's investment was made through the Rural Economic Development (RED) program, which invests in projects that support sustainable rural economies and community partnerships -- a key part of the government's plan for rural Ontario. Through the RED program, the Ontario government and its rural partners are building stronger communities that work better for the people who live in them.

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