Ontario’s rural affairs minister Lisa Thompson (behind lectern) during an announcement in Peterborough on June 15, 2026 of $260,305.50 in provincial funding to support rural development. Also pictured are representatives of the five organizations and municipalities receiving the funding (left to right): Innovation Cluster board chair Nicole Stephenson, Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark, City of Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal, Farms at Work community farm planner Andrea Hicks, and Community Care Peterborough operations director Catherine Pink. Absent from the photo is Peterborough-Kawartha Dave Smith. (Photo: Bethan Bates / kawartha NOW)
Five municipalities and organizations in the Peterborough area will receive a total of $260,305.50 in provincial funding aimed at boosting the rural economy and encouraging innovation through Ontario’s Rural Ontario Development (ROD) program.
MPP Smith was joined by Ontario’s rural affairs minister Lisa Thompson along with representatives from the five municipalities and organizations benefiting from the funding: City of Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal, Peterborough County warden Bonnie Clark, Innovation Cluster board chair Nicole Stephenson, Community Care Peterborough operations director Catherine Pink, and Farms at Work community farm planner Andrea Hicks.
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Province provides cost-shared funding for projects that help rural communities
The ROD program, which replaced the Rural Economic Development Fund, was created as part of the government’s strategy for rural economic growth introduced in 2025. The program works under three main areas – economic diversification, workforce development, and community infrastructure – offering cost-shared funding for projects supporting rural communities.
The total funding available will be $20 million; Thompson mentioned this amount is twice what has been offered over the last two years. A total of 116 projects received support during this initial intake phase amounting to $5.5 million.
Thompson said that ROD will allocate over $2 million across eastern Ontario to back 41 unique projects including five initiatives in Peterborough-Kawartha totaling $260,305.50.
The Innovation Cluster is set to receive $145,000 for its Rural Innovation Centre Project; the City of Peterborough gets $50,000 for its Future Ready Peterborough: Economic Development Strategy; Community Care Peterborough receives $30,000 for its Rural Transportation Feasibility Study; while Peterborough County obtains $20,000 for its Trade-Ready: Equipping Rural Entrepreneurs project; Farms at Work will get $15,308.50 for its Community Farm Business Plan.
Thompson noted that through public consultations conducted by the Ministry for Rural Affairs it became clear that many rural organizations find it hard to secure funds needed for strategic planning or feasibility studies before starting projects.
This is why she explained that ROD aims to provide a “hand up” to businesses and non-profits as well as municipalities so they can “turn conversations into actions” with strategic operational funding.
Thompson expressed her belief in significant opportunities for growth within eastern Ontario and plans an “all-of-government approach” towards rural development.
“Big things can happen in small towns,” Thompson remarked.
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Funding to support economic development, farm-based businesses, and rural transportation
The City of Peterborough took on responsibility for economic development back in January 2025 after taking over from the now-defunct organization called Peterborough and Kawarthas Economic Development. It plans to use its ROD program funds towards developing its economic strategy while also working with county funds geared toward helping local entrepreneurs expand their trade opportunities.
Farms at Work was established back in 2010 with goals such as aiding new farmers and promoting environmental stewardship within east-central Ontario; they’ll provide agricultural entrepreneurs innovation assistance along with business development support via their community farm initiative which offers shared resources beneficial to local farming enterprises.
“We’re launching an exciting new program called a community farm where we’ll offer various educational resources ranging from business planning all the way through hiring staff plus health safety practices on farms,” Hicks stated.
The ROD funds allocated to Community Care Peterborough will go towards conducting a transportation feasibility study alongside efforts made by Peterborough County focused on understanding what their rural clients need most effectively when it comes transportation services.
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Innovation Cluster funding will support rural entrepreneurs
Meanwhile , the Innovation Cluster- receivingthe largestportionoflocal RODprogramfunding-willutilizethisinvestmenttosupportongoingprogramsandnewopportunitiesforruralentrepreneurs.
Inaninterviewwithkawartha NOWaftertheannouncement, the Innovation Clusterboardvice-chair Christine Crandellsharedhowtherehasbeenabundantinnovationalongwithuniqueideasfromruralbusinessownersespeciallyinth eagriculturesector.
“Eastern Ontariois ripeforinnovation,” Crandall said.”It’s readyforbringinginprogramsthatallowcompanies tostayinplacewithoutfeelingcompelledtoleavetheirlocalevalleyfortheessentialresourcesneededtogrow.”
Crandall-whohasvastventurecapitalexperienceacross North America-notedthaturbancenterscanbequitehomogeneouswhileeastern Ontariocontainsamuchmorediverse arrayofentrepreneurialbusinesses.
“Itcouldbeanythingfroma novelapproachtosoilmanagementtoinnovativefishfarming-thatkindofcreativeingenuityisveryexciting,”sheadded.
Shealsopointedoutthatthe RODfundswillhelpthenonprofitorganizationcontinuetodeliverits Level UPBusiness Acceleratorprogramwhichaimsatgrowth-stagecompaniesandofferedfreeofthechargetoentrepreneurs.
“We’redefinitelyfocusedonintegratingitintothe Level UPframework,”Crandelladded.”Thisincludescoordinatedprogramslastinganywherefromsixtoeightweeks.”
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