"We are very excited to expand the Community Futures Program to Frontenac County, says Mr. Mitchell. "Ontario Community Futures Development Corporations have been successful at stimulating growth in their regions by providing small and medium-sized businesses with guidance and access to capital while assisting their communities in strategic planning and development."

"With today's announcement, Frontenac County will be in a better position to create growth and diversity in their economy," says Mr. McCormick.

"Effective economic development is critical for the future prosperity of this region and the CFDC will be instrumental in that process," adds Mr. Milliken.

In July 2000, Mr. Mitchell announced a Government of Canada investment of more than $37 million over five years, which would assist in the creation of new CFDCs in under-serviced areas of Ontario. The Frontenac CFDC will serve a population of approximately 23,700.  The communities served include the Townships of Central Frontenac, Frontenac Islands, North Frontenac and South Frontenac.

The Frontenac County Steering Committee is a group of volunteers representing various sectors and regions of the county. Its role is to guide the initial phase of development of the CFDC's corporate and business plan, as well as the creation of a long-term strategic community development plan for a fully operational CFDC. To this end, the Government of Canada is providing $75,000 for the community consultations and the development work to establish the new CFDC.

There are currently 57 Community Futures Development Corporations in rural Ontario funded by Industry Canada's Community Futures Program. They deliver a wide variety of programs and services to support community economic development and small business growth.

In the last five years, Ontario CFDCs, through their investment and business counselling activities, invested more than $185 million to help the small business sector create or maintain 22,401 jobs contributing to an enhanced business community.

CFDCs are designed to develop and implement long-term community-based economic development initiatives.  They employ local staff and are governed by a volunteer board of directors made up of local residents representative of the community at large.

"We have the support we need to assist in developing the Frontenac CFDC," says Ryan Seeds, chair of the Frontenac Community Futures Steering Committee. "We look forward to contributing to the future prosperity of this community and being a key player in the development of the local economy."

Through this initiative the Government of Canada is acting on its commitment to support economic growth and diversification in rural communities.

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2003 federal budget.

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For more information, please contact:
Christine Aquino, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Andy Mitchell, (613) 759-1085
Cara Prest, Communications Officer, (613) 946-4446 or 1-877-333-6673