The Ontario government has unveiled a $260,305.50 investment through the ROD program (Rural Ontario Development) aimed at enhancing rural economies and supporting workers in Peterborough and the Kawarthas.
This initiative is part of a larger $20 million investment from the province to support projects across communities throughout Ontario.
Minister of Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson stated that projects funded by the ROD program will promote sustainable community development.
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During the program’s initial intake, several local initiatives received funding, such as Innovation Cluster’s Rural Innovation Centre Project, Community Care Peterborough’s Rural Peterborough County Transportation Feasibility Study, the City of Peterborough’s Future Ready Peterborough: Economic Development Strategy, Farms at Work’s Peterborough Community Farm Business Plan, and the County of Peterborough’s Trade-Ready: Equipping Rural Entrepreneurs to Compete Beyond the Region project.
In its first intake, ROD invested a total of $5.5 million across 116 projects in rural Ontario.
Farms at Work Community Farm Planner Andrea Hicks shared with PTBOToday that the more than $15,300 they received has been instrumental in launching their community farm project.
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Providing local entrepreneurs with resources to expand their businesses will create job opportunities in our rural areas, said Peterborough County Warden Bonnie Clark.
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Minister Thompson also announced that applications for the ROD program’s third intake will open on August 17.
(Written by: Felicia Massey)
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