The Town of Minto is continuing its exploration of the idea of “creative business incubators.”
Economic and business manager Belinda Wick Graham reported at the Aug. 14 council meeting that herself and councillor Rick Hembley participated in a Minto Cultural Roundtable trip to Haliburton to visit a business incubator project in that community. Future trips to see similar projects in action in St. Thomas and Port Hope were also planned, she noted.
A business incubator would involve providing a currently-vacant commercial building as office space for a number of small businesses at an affordable rate. The businesses could share equipment, such as a photocopier, to keep costs down. Mentoring and other services would be provided through community partners.
Minto’s Cultural Roundtable group is currently talking to potential partners and working on the creation of a business plan for the project and is aiming to have a grant application prepared for November, with the idea of having a business incubator set up in Minto by next year.
The cultural roundtable group is also working on a website highlighting cultural assets and businesses in Minto. In conjunction with the Minto Chamber of Commerce, a 64-page advertorial guide is also under consideration.
Minutes of the July 19 roundtable meeting indicate the group agreed all elements of the project would be tied together under the brand “Treasures of Minto.”
