THE COUNTIES, Ontario – The Council of the United Counties of Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry has approved the appointment of five individuals to sit as representatives on the Regional Incentives Program Approvals Committee.
The approvals committee is comprised of Counties Councillors Kirsten Gardner, David Smith and Lyle Warden, and lay members Margaret MacDonald and Bernadine McEvoy-Robertson. They are responsible for administering all aspects of the Regional Incentives Program, including recommending the approval of Regional Incentives Grants to Counties Council. Final approval for all grants rests with Counties Council.
The Regional Incentives Program was launched by SDG in 2018 as a tool to help expand and grow new businesses within the Counties. Since 2018, the Counties have invested more than $600,000 in the Regional Incentives Program. This has culminated in more than $4.2 million worth of local construction projects.
“The Regional Incentives Program is a tool to help grow and expand our businesses in Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. This program is reducing the number of vacant commercial buildings within our communities, while creating jobs, tourism and agricultural experiences as well as inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs to grow their business,” said Tara Kirkpatrick, Manager of Economic Development for the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry. Kirkpatrick serves as the program coordinator for the Regional Incentives Program.
The Counties developed these regional incentives as part of a progressive framework to support broad economic development goals. As an upper-tier municipality with six unique local municipalities, SDG provides regional funding through this program to advance economic priorities with a demonstrable Counties-wide benefit.
To be eligible for the Regional Incentives Program, applicants must meet a number of criteria and also demonstrate that they meet at least one of the regional economic initiatives identified by SDG. The three regional economic initiatives include projects that:
- Stimulate investment in tourism and in the agricultural sector by funding diverse, on-farm expansions and agri-tourism.
- Encourage redevelopment and private sector investment in existing building stock within the Counties to support employment, reduce the number of vacant commercial, institutional and industrial buildings, and increase the assessment base.
- Increase the amount of permanent roofed accommodations within the Counties to specifically accommodate for an increase in tourism establishments that cater to short-term accommodations.
The next intake period for the Regional Incentives Program is expected to open in early June. To learn more about the program, contact Tara Kirkpatrick at tkirkpatrick@sdgcounties.ca or call 613-932-1515 ext. 1227.