Brockville - Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville is pleased with the announcement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper that the federal government is providing $10 million for The Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP).

Harper made the announcement Thursday morning in Cornwall at the National Caucus meeting being held over three days in that city.

"This money is critical to the continued development of Eastern Ontario," says Brown. "I worked extremely hard to make sure that we received funding to replace the former Eastern Ontario Development Fund that expired earlier this year."

This is a short-term contribution to a program aimed at addressing socio-economic challenges in rural Eastern Ontario.

The EODP provides resources to Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) which invest in a variety of initiatives focused on community economic development, small business growth, and job creation. Funding is for the period ending March 31, 2007.

This money will go toward business development, skills enhancement and finding new and better ways of using technological advances.

The EODP takes an innovative, grassroots approach to economic development - one that encourages local stakeholders to work together to create a competitive and diversified regional economy.

It supports community-based initiatives in five strategic areas: Business and Community Development; Skills Development; Attracting and retaining youth; Improving access to Capital; and Enhancing the use of technology.

The EODP is managed by FedNor, the regional economic development organization responsible for the Community Futures Program in rural Ontario. It is being delivered by the 15 CFDCs located throughout rural Eastern Ontario. And it seeks to foster business growth, job creation, and economic stability in rural Eastern Ontario.