Charleville — Today, Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds–Grenville, joined Heather Lawless, Executive Director of the Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation (GCFDC), to present the Township of Augusta with an investment of $3,777 towards total project costs of $12,350. The Township will invest the balance. The investment was made through the Local Initiatives Program of GCFDC’s Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP).

The objective of the Local Initiatives Program is to support incremental and local community-based projects that enhance economic development and diversification in Grenville County. The funding has been used by Augusta Township to host the First Annual Business of the Year Awards Luncheon in 2010 and to create a promotional video of the township which is now available to view on their website.

“GCFDC is committed to recognizing business achievements as well as promoting business development.  We are thrilled to be supporting the Township of Augusta’s commitment to acknowledging businesses within the community and promoting all that the Township has to offer”, stated Heather Lawless, Executive Director, Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation. 

“The Government of Canada is committed to addressing the challenges facing businesses and residents in rural Eastern Ontario,” stated Mr. Brown. “We are proud to support Community Futures Development Corporations who in turn support municipalities in their efforts to develop a competitive and diversified local and regional economy.”

GCFDC is a community-based, non-profit corporation funded by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, for the purposes of delivering community economic development assistance, business financing and business counselling services to new and existing businesses and organizations in Grenville County. The Eastern Ontario Development Program promotes socio-economic development in Eastern Ontario by creating, building and developing the necessary conditions to increase business and employment opportunities in the area. EODP assists economic renewal in five priority areas: business and community development; skills development; access to capital; retention and attraction of youth; and technological enhancements.  Funding and support of EODP is provided by the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and delivered via Community Futures Development Corporations (CFDCs) located throughout Eastern Ontario.

For information on GCFDC and EODP, visit www.grenvillecfdc.com.  For information on The Township of Augusta visit www.augusta.ca.