THUNDER BAY – The municipality, businesses, and organizations in the city are now eligible to apply for provincial funding under a program designed to help boost rural economies.
Local officials have been successful in lobbying for Thunder Bay to be a part of the Rural Ontario Development Program, according to a news release issued by the Thunder Bay Economic Development Commission.
“We appreciate the province’s responsiveness and commitment to ensuring northern communities have equitable access to economic development supports. This investment will help local businesses and organizations advance projects that create jobs, build capacity, and strengthen Thunder Bay’s economy,” Jamie Taylor, chief executive officer of the CEDC, wrote in the release.
Small businesses with up to 20 employees, non-profit and Indigenous organizations, local services boards, and the municipality can access funding to address workforce development challenges like retention and recruitment, expanding business, and drive development of community assets.
Until now, Thunder Bay’s urban designation made it ineligible for the program, despite facing many challenges typical of rural communities, including low population density over a large area, limited specialized services, and significant transportation and connectivity barriers.
The CEDC, the City of Thunder Bay, and the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce asked the province to update the program’s definition of rural to reflect geographic, economic and service-delivery realities rather than population size alone, according to the chief executive officer, Jamie Taylor.
The province defines rural as either having a population of less than 100,000 people, a population density of 100 people per square kilometre or less, as identified in the most recent Statistics Canada Census of Canadian Population, or a rural postal code within areas considered urban.
The province has added “a census subdivision located in northern Ontario,” Taylor said, which made Thunder Bay eligible for the program.
Mayor Ken Boshcoff said the announcement “reflects an understanding of our regional realities and the importance of supporting economic growth across Northern Ontario and a commitment to building a more resilient future.”
The program has three funding streams available to rural communities and organizations.
The economic diversification, competitiveness and capacity building stream offers 50 per cent cost-sharing up to $200,000. This would allow organizations to develop plans for new economic development activities or boost existing ones. Projects that build community events focusing on economic development can get up to $10,000.
The workforce development, attraction and retention stream funds projects that undertake initiatives for attracting and retaining workers, with up to $150,000 available.
The community infrastructure enhancements stream is for projects that are updating or renewing community assets. It provides up to 35 per cent cost-sharing, with large projects eligible from $25,000 to $250,000 and small projects eligible up to $25,000.
“Access to the ROD Program provides important tools to support investment, resilience, and long-term growth in our community,” said Charla Robinson, president of the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce.
Small businesses with up to 20 employees can apply for the business development stream. This stream offers up to 35 per cent cost-share, to a maximum of $10,000.
