The Town of Minto is planning a strategy session on local industrial parks as part of a bid for inclusion in Ontario’s Investment Ready: Certified Site program.
Business and economic manager Belinda Wick-Graham advised council the town has two sites at the Palmerston Industrial Park with potential to be certified sites.
Investment Ready is a province-wide investment attraction program which provides financial and marketing support to municipalities completing a set of requirements and due diligence for an eligible property. The designation gives investors a greater degree of certainty when looking for development opportunities in Ontario municipalities by providing detailed information about availability, servicing, access and environmental concerns.
“Once you are certified you get international marketing through the province. When they get calls, if you’re not a certified site … you’re basically not considered. It’s good if we can work toward that,” said Wick-Graham at the May 6 meeting.
RED grant for incubator
Minto’s Creative Business Incubator project has been awarded a federal grant through the Rural Economic Development (RED) program.
Business development coordinator Karisa Downey advised council the project will receive about $38,000 in grant funding through the RED program over the next two years.
“Which is fantastic for our budget,” she noted
Downey said June 14 has been selected as the date for a grand opening of the facility, to coincide with the Heritage Days celebrations in Harriston.
