Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development Have Announced Dissolution

The Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) Board of Directors has formally announced its intention to dissolve the corporation announced on Monday morning.

The establishment of the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation (operating as PKED) in 1998 resulted from the 1997 GPA 2020. Photo courtesy of the PKED.

The decision came following written notice that The City of Peterborough and Peterborough County intend to change the delivery models of economic development and tourism and will not renew the tri-party Memorandum of Understanding between the City, County and PKED, which expires on Dec. 31 according to a press release.

The Board of Directors formed a dissolution committee and decided to cease operations by the end of the year in compliance with the Ontario Not-For-Profit Corporations Act.

“As reports on new economic development and tourism models are being considered councils in June, we eagerly await the opportunity to review them and to identify opportunities for service continuity for the businesses and clients that rely on PKED,” said Burton Lee, PKED board of directors chair. “As a high-performing economic development agency, the health and vitality of the local economy are at the core of our mission, and our team has a vested interest in supporting a mutually beneficial transition.”

According to the PKED, since last fall, the Board of Directors has been seeking clarity on the municipalities' plans. During that time, PKED was working towards a smooth transition to a new economic development model, with limited disruption of services to businesses, investors and visitors.

“The critical value of our team's knowledge, expertise and relationships with local, regional, national, and international partners, businesses, investors, and media cannot be understated,” said Rhonda Keenan, PKED's President and CEO. “It is our hope that the new models will include positions for our existing team of passionate and dedicated economic development professionals to continue serving the business community and attracting investment to the region.”

PKED is in the process of winding down operations for the second half of the year as stated in a press release.

“There will be a significant disruptive impact if these plans do not factor in the vast number of existing projects, programs and initiatives that PKED has developed,” said Lee.

PKED's Letters Patent and the tri-party MOU reflect that purpose and funding structure according to a press release. They continue to add that the City’s and County’s decision eliminates PKED's core funding structure. As a result, PKED cannot have the capacity or resources to deliver economic and tourism services on behalf of the region.

The dissolution resulted in the delivery of termination notices to staff and the provision of notice to vacate PKED's offices and the regional Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism Visitor Centre located in the Venture North business hub in downtown Peterborough, effective at the end of this year.

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Starter Company Plus Program Provide $39,000 In Grants to Eight Local Small Businesses

Eight local small businesses were given micro-grants of $39,000 combined from the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) to help support sustainable business growth in a cheque presentation at the Venture North Building on Thursday.

(Top) Madeleine Hurrell, Manager of the Business Advisory Centre; (Middle left to right) Cody Lewis, Mackenzie Caldwell, Meaghan Kynock, Katie Jackson (Bottom left to right) Iola Taylor, Sara Scheuermann, Jordan Lyall, Joe Crowley. Since its launch in 2017, the Starter Company Plus program through the BAC has assisted over 230 entrepreneurs in Peterborough & the Kawarthas. These small businesses have created over 220 jobs in the local economy. Photo courtesy of PKED.

The funding was through the provincial government’s Starter Company Plus program.

Twelve small business entrepreneurs completed the five-week full-day business training course the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre (BAC) offered. According to PKED, based on the strength of their business plan, cashflow forecast, and business pitch, the following businesses were each awarded a micro-grant of up to $5,000:

• Iola Taylor – Cold Duck Creamery, City of Peterborough

• Joe and Liz Crowley – Crowley Acres, Township of Otonabee South-Monaghan

• Sara Scheuermann – Steaped Slow Ceramics, City of Peterborough

• Katie Jackson – Wanderlight Luxury Farm Stay, Douro-Dummer Township

• Jordan Lyall – Jordan Lyall Photography, City of Peterborough

• Cody Lewis – Cody Lewis Carpentry, City of Peterborough

• Meg Kynock – muttmixx, Township of Havelock Belmont-Methuen

• Mackenzie Caldwell – Grace&Glow Beauty Studio, City of Peterborough

“Now in its tenth intake, the Starter Company Plus program has directly contributed to the growth and development of small businesses in Peterborough & the Kawarthas,” said Madeleine Hurrell, Business Advisory Centre (BAC) manager. “Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development understands how critically important our small business sector is to our local economy; these businesses support our workforce, attract visitors and invest back into the community.”

As part of the Starter Company Plus program, all participants receive ongoing business support from the BAC to stimulate growth and scale their businesses. They are also pre-conditionally approved for a micro-loan through partner agency Community Futures Peterborough. They will receive a complimentary six-month trial to the Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce.

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Eight Small Local Businesses Awarded $5,000 Grants Through Starter Company Plus Program

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) has awarded $5,000 in micro-grants to local small businesses in the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County through the Government of Ontario’s Starter Company Plus program, announced Monday.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development.

12 small business entrepreneurs successfully completed the five-week Starter Company Plus online business training course offered through PKED’s Business Advisory Centre, and were awarded grants to support the growth of their business based on the strength of their plan and pitch.

The following businesses were each awarded a micro-grant:

• Jacquelyn Craft, The Neighbourhood Vintage, City of Peterborough

• Lisa Mace, ECO Cabin, Township of North Kawartha

• Ineke Turner, Turner & Pooch Dog Training, City of Peterborough

• Nathan Truax, Truax Leather Co., City of Peterborough

• Lisa Burkitt, Burkitt’s Gardening & Home Services, Township of Havelock- Belmont-Methuen

• Kate Griffin, Mental Wealth Counselling, Township of Otonabee South-Monaghan

• Jena Trimble, Zen Home and Cottage Cleaning Services, Township of Havelock- Belmont-Methuen

• Vanessa Bruce, Vanessa Bruce Virtual Services, City of Peterborough

Since the program’s launch in 2017 it has assisted over 215 local entrepreneurs and more than 174 small businesses, creating over 200 jobs in the local economy according to PKED.

“This intake of the Starter Company Plus program saw many new businesses that were referred from past participants. Now in its fifth year, the program has directly contributed to the growth and development of small businesses in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and has allowed us to support the largest cohort to date,” said Madeleine Hurrell, manager of PKED’s Business Advisory Centre. “In Peterborough and the Kawarthas, we are lucky to have thriving and growing small businesses. We have seen our communities rally around entrepreneurs and small businesses.”

For more information on the Business Advisory Centre, visit www.investptbo.ca/bac

Sustainable Peterborough With Peterborough And The Kawarthas Economic Development Launch New Strategic Plan

Sustainable Peterborough (SP) and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) have announced the launch of Sustainable Peterborough’s new Strategic Plan, on Thursday.

Photo courtesy of Sustainable Peterborough.

Sustainable Peterborough has been conducting an extensive organizational review, including a governance and plan review, over the last few years.

This review led to the decision that the new Sustainable Peterborough Plan should focus on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The SDG framework has become a recognized tool for advancing sustainability in the Greater Peterborough Area. Many communities in Ontario and across Canada are also working on localizing the SDGs.

The SDGs have become a globally recognized framework for measuring progress towards sustainability.

Benefits of using the SDG framework include the use of shared language and goal setting for sustainability across many communities globally and locally and access to tools to track and visualize progress towards the goals.

Utilizing the SDG framework provides an opportunity for Sustainable Peterborough to continue the vital SDG work conducted through the 2019-2021 Community Forum led by Kawartha World Issues Centre and GreenUP.

It also provides an opportunity to use long-standing community connections and partnerships to build on the significant local interest in sustainability, raise awareness of the SDGs, and incorporate best practices from other communities.

“On behalf of the Sustainable Peterborough Coordinating Committee, we are excited to work towards Sustainable Peterborough’s new mission of supporting, measuring, celebrating, and facilitating collective action among local governments, businesses, institutions, and organizations to annually track and measure progress towards achieving targets related to priority Sustainable Development Goals,” said Karen Jopling and Michael Papadacos, Co-Chairs of the Sustainable Peterborough Coordinating Committee.

“In a sustainable economy, people live and do business in ways that are good for the economy, the environment, and communities. Sustainable economic development is about more than just being green; business activity reflects a commitment to sustainability, and, in turn, sustainability helps the economy thrive for future generations. The staff and board of PKED are looking forward to collaborating with Sustainable Peterborough on this new strategic plan.” said PKED’s President & CEO Rhonda Keenan.

The new Strategic Plan is available on the Sustainable Peterborough website.

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Six Local Businesses Awarded $5,000 Each Through Peterborough and The Kawarthas Economic Development Starter Company Plus Program

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) awarded six local small businesses $5,000 each in funding to further support sustainable business growth, on Thursday.

The funding is made possible through the Government of Ontario’s Starter Company Plus program.

Sixteen entrepreneurs operating twelve small businesses successfully completed the five week online business training course offered by the Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre (BAC). Based on the strength of their business plan and pitch, the following six businesses were each awarded a micro-grant:

• Angela McDonald: The Florest, Peterborough, ON – A local florist born out of a love for the outdoors and natural beauty offering fresh-cut flower bouquets with a selection of quality blooms.

• Brad Carson: Toureka!, Peterborough, ON – a mobile app and web-based platform that allows organizations of any size to offer their event-based tours in a brand-new way.

• Caitlin Smith: ReCreate Space, Peterborough, ON – a professional organizing company helping residents and small businesses of Peterborough & the Kawarthas get more organized.

• Dreda Blow and Bruno Merz: Showmakers Ptbo, Peterborough, ON - a musical theatre program for children all about making a SHOW!

• Lynda Todd: Vision Imports Ltd, Peterborough, ON – Manufacturer and distributor of keyboards and mice that can be disinfected and cleaned.

• Patrick and Deanna Leahy: Leahy Farm (final name TBD), Douro-Dummer, ON – A family farm that offers flavourful, top-grade, locally processed meat (beef, chicken, lamb, and turkey), as well as eggs from pasture-raised hens. Environmental sustainability and animal quality of life are priorities to The Leahy’s.

“We had a wide variety of businesses in the program this time around. From farm businesses to technology-based start-ups, the participants were able to learn from each other throughout the workshops.” said Entrepreneurship Officer Hillary Manion, who oversees the program for PKED. “In Peterborough & the Kawarthas, we are lucky to have thriving and growing small businesses. We have seen our communities rally around these entrepreneurs. The Starter Company Plus program is an opportunity for new start-ups and expanding businesses to access workshop training and one-on-one consultations with BAC Business Advisors and local guest speakers.”

Since its launch in 2017, the Starter Company Plus program through the BAC has assisted over 190 local entrepreneurs and over 150 small businesses. These small businesses have created over 190 jobs in our local economy.

The Starter Company Plus program is designed to provide business training for entrepreneurs from aspiring to experienced, aged 18 and over in the City and County of Peterborough who are launching a business or expanding an existing business (operating for five years or less). To stay up to date on programs and workshops offered by the BAC, visit www.peterboroughed.ca/BAC.

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Twelve Local Entrepreneurs Turn Their Passions Into Businesses With Starter Company Plus

Peterborough & the Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre (BAC) has announced the twelve entrepreneurs that were recently selected to participate in the Fall 2021 Intake of Starter Company Plus program.

Photo courtesy of Peterborough and The Kawarthas Business Advisory Centre.

With assistance from a diverse group of subject matter experts from across the region, the program will provide a five-week course in business training. Six of the twelve participants will receive a $5,000 grant based on the overall strength of their business plan and pitch.

"On our first day, as the group introduced themselves, we heard from participants who were not willing to give up on their passions because of the pandemic," said Entrepreneurship Officer Hillary Manion. "They have adapted and created new businesses that allow them to continue to do what they love while offering products and services to their community."

The BAC will conduct all workshops for the Starter Company Plus Fall 2021 intake online. The classes will focus on marketing and business practices that have proven successful in Peterborough & the Kawarthas and financial acumen and mental well-being.

"This group of entrepreneurs are all subject and content experts. Many come with years of experience in their chosen fields and are now turning it into their own small business," said Manion.

An overview of the 12 participants follows below,

• Amanda O'Rourke: Belmont Farmstead, Havelock, ON – a small-scale farm and nursery growing ecological seedlings for home gardens and businesses, specializing in heirloom vegetable plants, culinary and medical herbs, and edible flowers.

• Angela McDonald: The Florest, Peterborough, ON – A local florist born out of a love for the outdoors and natural beauty offering fresh-cut flower bouquets with a selection of quality blooms.

• Brad Carson: Toureka!, Peterborough, ON – a mobile app and web-based platform that allows organizations of any size to offer their event-based tours in a brand new way.

• Caitlin Smith: ReCreate Space, Peterborough, ON – a professional organizing company helping residents and small businesses of Peterborough & the Kawarthas get more organized.

• Dawn and Lea Call: O & D's Fork in the Road Country Market, Lakefield, ON – a unique, upscale shopping experience offering fresh, wholesome, and local products.

• Dreda Blow and Bruno Merz: Shomakers Ptbo, Peterborough, ON - a musical theatre program for children all about making a SHOW!

• Jolene and Shawn Morris: Trim Time, Peterborough, ON – a family-run business offering mobile cannabis trimming and processing at your home.

• Kate Suhr: Voi-sings, Peterborough, ON – an independent voice-over business emerging in Peterborough & the Kawarthas in the winter of 2022.

• Lynda Todd: Vision Imports Ltd, Peterborough, ON – Manufacturer and distributor of keyboards and mice that can be disinfected and cleaned.

• Patrick and Deanna Leahy: Leahy Farm (final name TBD), Douro-Dummer, ON – A family farm that offers flavourful, top-grade, locally processed meat (beef, chicken, lamb, and turkey), as well as eggs from pasture-raised hens. Environmental sustainability and animal quality of life are priorities to The Leahy's.

• Rob and Denise Driscoll: Northern Cottage Comfort, Havelock, ON – Cottage furniture and designs constructed from recycled materials, including farmhouse benches, shelving, centerpieces, and seasonal signs.

• Travis Berlenbach: Trip Taco, Selwyn, Ontario – Peterborough's first and only Taco Truck inspired by flavours from around the world and offers a fresh and unique spin on a favorite.

Full biographies for each business can be found by visiting peterboroughed.ca/starter.

The Starter Company Plus program, offered through the BAC since 2017, is made possible through funding from the Government of Ontario.

The program is designed to provide business training for entrepreneurs aged 18 and over in the City and County of Peterborough in the process of launching a business or expanding an existing business.

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