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On this month's newsletter of "You Need to Know This":

  • Tourism Chatter: new additions, investments & celebrations
  • FedDev Ontario offering funding for businesses
  • President & CEO of TIAO, Christopher Bloore is Stepping Down
  • Quick Facts: What do Consumers think about Ontario's Southwest?
  • Webinar on What is Your Role in the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation?
  • Upcoming Community and Entrepreneurial Events in Oxford
  • Congratulations to all the winners of the Tillsonburg Chamber's Awards of Excellence! Congratulations to Tillsonburg Town Centre Mall for the Community Service Award and j.d. lighting for the Business Improvement Award!
  • The Zorra Caledonian Society received $20,000 from the Community Services Recovery Fund! Congratulations! This fund will help buy a laptop, accounting software, a website, IT training and more technology assets.
  • Aggie Armstrong is the artist behind The Royal Agricultural Fair's 101st year poster! Congratulations Aggie! View the poster here
  • 2023 Ontario Tourism Awards of Excellence Finalists have been selected! Congratulations to Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life, & Vanessa Chaisson, a travel writer who came to Oxford County for her work on her article "Following Ontario's Cheese Trail" for being finalists! Good luck to everyone on Wednesday night!


Do you have news to share? Email Emily

FedDev Ontario Funding for Businesses - Applications close November 7th

FedDev Ontario has launched a new streamlined application process with intakes three times per year, allowing for greater consistency in funding opportunities.


Business Eligibility:

Growing and established businesses, co-operatives and Indigenous (First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples) businesses located or expanding in southern Ontario that:

  • are for-profit entities
  • are incorporated in Canada or Ontario
  • have a minimum of 5 full-time employees
  • have at least 3 years of business operations


Type of Funding:

  • Interest-free loans and unconditionally repayable.
  • Applicants normally request a minimum of $125,000 up to a maximum of $10 million per project in repayable contribution funding.
  • Should your project be approved, repayment will normally begin 1 year after the completion of the project. The schedule of payments will be set out in your contribution agreement.
  • There is no penalty for early repayment.


Types of Projects:

The Agency will continue to prioritize projects in key areas like clean economic growth, support for innovative scale-ups, emerging technologies, and industrial transition.

  • Developing, commercializing and/or producing new and innovative products, processes and services
  • Improving productivity, capacity and competitiveness
  • Scaling-up or expanding business lines to tap into new markets or reach new customers


Virtual information sessions are being held to provide an overview of the new application process and funding priorities. 

Learn More and Attend a Virtual Info Session

TIAO’s President & CEO Christopher Bloore to step down

Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO), President and CEO Christopher Bloore is to step down from his role on December 31st as he returns permanently to the United Kingdom. Christopher leaves the association after nearly three years as President and CEO, having led the organization through the COVID-19 pandemic and the beginning of the recovery period. Read the press release here.

What do Consumers think of Ontario's Southwest?

Ontario's Southwest (OSW) conducted a survey in August 2023 to determine travel intention, demographics, actual visitation, average spend, advertising recollection and product interest in consumers.


This survey was sent to OSW’s email database subscribers and advertised on paid Facebook and Instagram ads. Here's the quick facts:


  • Main Audience: Mature & Secure (age 55+, empty nesters)
  • Interested in: Small Town Charm, Food & Drink, Outdoor Recreation, Road Trips
  • Willing to pay a little extra if: if is owned/managed by local people and/or it is environmentally responsible
  • Average Stay: 6 days
  • Average Spend: $100-$500 daily (71% of respondents)
Click here to view the PDF

Watch: Honouring Truth, Expanding Knowledge & Creating Conversations Webinar

Thank you to Indigenous Tourism Ontario's President & CEO Kevin Eshkawkogan for leading this webinar that was held on September 29th and conducting a learning journey to explore the rich and diverse cultures, voices, experiences, and histories of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Take the time to watch this hour-long webinar below to learn more.

Watch the Webinar

Upcoming Community Events in Oxford County

Township of Blandford-Blenheim Community Connect Event

October 25th from 7pm - 9pm @ Plattsville Arena Lion's Hall

Tillsonburg Entrepreneurial Services Pop-Up Event

October 26th from 2pm - 6pm @ Tillsonburg Town Hall

In case you missed it...

Your cheerleaders in tourism,

Emily, Karlee & Meredith

Tourism Oxford | 519-539-9800 x3355 | tourism@oxfordcounty.ca |

Consumer website: www.tourismoxford.ca

Industry website: www.oxfordcounty.ca/business-in-oxford/tourism

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