Economic Development series wraps up September 10

June 08, 2010

The Economic Development series initiated by Gord wraps up on September 10 at the North Grenville Municipal Centre. Minister of State for Science and Technology and for the Federal Development Agency for Southern Ontario, the Honourable Gary Goodyear, will be the keynote speaker. Registration is $15 which includes lunch. The deadline for registration is September 1. Seating is limited.


With the sector meetings now complete, Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville, is looking forward to the final meeting of the Economic Roundtable discussions he initiated back in January 2009.

“It has been an enlightening and worthwhile process,” he says of the meetings that have stretched from June 2009 until now.
“We have received a great deal of positive and constructive feedback that is already being put to good use in Leeds-Grenville.
“I expect the analysis of the results that will be conducted this summer, and the results of the wrap-up meeting September 10, will help pave the way forward.”
   
Minister of State for Science and Technology and for the Federal Development Agency for Southern Ontario, the Honourable Gary Goodyear, will be the keynote speaker at the final meeting in September.

That meeting takes place at the North Grenville Community Centre. Registration is $15 which includes lunch. The deadline for registration is September 1. Seating is limited.
   
Brown says he is grateful for the work that the United Counties Economic Development department has been able to devote to the process.
  
“When I originally thought about the idea for these economic development meetings 18 months ago, I approached then MPP Bob Runciman, the economic development office, and the Community Futures Development Corporations,” he explained.
   
“They all contributed, but the economic development office, first under Bob Cheetham and then for the bulk of the meetings, under Ann Weir, has really done an excellent job with the details.”
   
As well as organizing each meeting, that office has been tabulating and categorizing the results and recommendations as preparations begin for the final meeting.
The Economic Roundtable series began in June 2009 with a counties-wide meeting held in North Grenville.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister the Honourable John Baird was the key note speaker at that session.
Over 200 people spent the day listening to guest speakers and breaking out into groups to discuss issues and opportunities.
The Sector Meetings, which began last September, have followed a similar format as they have been taking place around the riding.

At each session there were guest speakers and break-out sessions.
Ideas and information discussed at these meetings have been recorded by the counties Economic Development office and are being reviewed in anticipation of the final meeting in September.