Rural Economic Development (RED) Program
News Release

For Immediate Release August 9, 2007

McGuinty Government Supports Community Partnership

Initiative To Study Local Business Opportunities

CALEDONIA - The McGuinty government is investing in the Town of Caledonia's business retention and expansion plan, an initiative that will study options for community revitalization, Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, announced today.

"In order for Caledonia to take advantage of new business opportunities in the area, it is essential that they take the time to explore the current state of their community's economic resources," said Dombrowsky. "This initiative will give Caledonia, and its partners, the tools they need to explore and develop new ways for them to grow their industries."

The province will contribute $32,400 to help the Caledonia Regional Chamber of Commerce and its partners, the Grand Erie Business Centre Inc., County of Haldimand and the Caledonia Business Improvement Area, develop the Business Retention and Expansion in Caledonia strategy, which will help explore economic growth options in the area.

"The information collected from this study will help our community assess and identify new opportunities for local businesses," said Suzanne Athanasiou, a director of the chamber of commerce. "The outcome of this initiative will help to promote a healthy, vibrant and stable economy for Caledonia and the surrounding area."

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

• Providing an additional $70 million for the Rural Infrastructure Investment Initiative. This means a total of $140 million will be available for improvements to water systems, roads, bridge and other priorities
  
• Providing $472 million in 2007 to rural municipalities through the Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund
  
• Recognizing innovation in the province's agriculture sector by creating the five-year, $2.5-million Premier's Awards for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. In 2007, 55 awards totaling $425,000 were presented at events across the province.

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 $33 million in 118 projects, representing a total investment of $204.6 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

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For more information:
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Email: red.omafra@ontario.ca