November in North Glengarry: Supporting Local, Looking Ahead

In this month's newsletter, you will find regional highlights, upcoming events, funding opportunities and resources to support our local businesses and organizations throughout the busy holiday season ahead, and beyond!

We encourage you to explore what's available, get involved, share relevant opportunities with your networks and stay connected.

Do you have business news, an upcoming event or an initiative to promote? Let us know: ecdev@northglengarry.ca

Access to quality healthcare is essential to building strong, vibrant communities. It also plays an important role in attracting new residents, supporting local businesses and strengthening our regional economy.



The Great River Ontario Health Team (GR OHT) and its regional partners are working to improve access to primary care and address healthcare workforce shortages across Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, Akwesasne and surrounding communities.

As part of these efforts, the Great River, Great Future initiative aims to attract, recruit and retain healthcare professionals by showcasing the career opportunities and quality of life available throughout our region.

The Township of North Glengarry is proud to be an active partner in these recruitment efforts and is actively working closely with the GR OHT and regional partners to help position our communities as attractive places to live, work and play.

Our involvement includes supporting job fairs and recruitment events with promotional materials, organizing community tours for medical students, and working directly with Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital to connect with visiting physicians and help welcome them to Alexandria.

The Township is also participating in regional photography and promotional initiatives that showcase our communities, local events and lifestyle. In addition, our Economic Development Officer serves on the regional Recruitment Working Group, helping coordinate efforts to attract healthcare professionals to the area.

Successful healthcare recruitment is about more than filling positions — it's about helping healthcare professionals and their families envision a future in our communities. By working together, we can help strengthen access to healthcare while supporting the long-term vitality and growth of North Glengarry.

Learn more:

Great River, Great Future – Healthcare Recruitment Initiative

Read about the GR OHT Annual Report and regional healthcare priorities

Celebrating Community Spirit :

Maxville Fall Night Market

The town came out in droves for the first ever Maxville Fall Night Market on October16th, at the Maxville Sports Complex.

Organized by the Maxville & District Chamber of Commerce and community partners, with support from the Township of North Glengarry, the event welcomed residents and visitors for an evening featuring local businesses, great food, live music and a healthy serving of community spirit!

A highlight of the evening was the $1,155 raised for the Hôpital Glengarry Memorial Hospital Foundation through proceeds from the Maxville Recreation kitchen and the popular Cooks in KILTS event.

In addition to shopping the tables of local producers and vendors, visitors were also invited to contribute to the Community White Box food collection. Live performances by Nerea the Fiddler and Paddy Kelly kept the crowds entertained.

A wonderful example of community coming together to shop local, support local causes and give back! A big thank you to everyone who helped make this event a huge success.



Alexandria's 6th Annual

Baby, Please Come Home Event

GET ON THE MAP!

Be Part of Baby, Please Come Home!

Alexandria’s 6th Annual Baby, Please Come Home holiday shopping event returns on Thursday, November 26, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and we're inviting businesses throughout Alexandria to participate!

New this year, Mill Square will feature an outdoor stage with live entertainment, Christmas caroling and holiday karaoke. Alexandria’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting at 7 p.m. will add another reason for residents and visitors to come downtown, shop, dine and celebrate! We're also expanding the event map beyond Main Street to include businesses throughout Alexandria!

The Township of North Glengarry, with support from SDG Counties Tourism, is helping expand promotional efforts through direct mail delivered to local households, radio advertising and local media coverage, reaching shoppers across the region.

All local businesses are encouraged to participate by staying open until 9 p.m., offering exclusive promotions, hosting local artisans or creating festive experiences for customers.

A dedicated event landing page, accessible through a QR code, will provide shoppers with an up-to-date map of participating businesses, special offers and entertainment details. Check it out here: Baby, Please Come Home

GET ON THE MAP! Make sure your business is featured!

If you have not confirmed already, please register your business or organization and tell us about your extended hours, special offers or planned activities so we can help promote your business as part of this community-wide celebration. Click on the link below:

Dunvegan Christmas Market

Another opportunity to support local businesses and celebrate the holiday season in North Glengarry.

Head to Dunvegan on Saturday, November 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for the Glengarry Pioneer Museum’s Outdoor Christmas Market!

Discover unique gifts from 25 local vendors and artisans, enjoy festive music, hot cocoa, apple cider, homemade soup and marshmallows by the bonfire. Bring the family for holiday photo opportunities and a special “Santa Gram” experience for children from noon to 2 p.m. Admission is FREE!

Learn more: www.glengarrypioneermuseum.ca

The Carleton Ravens and Ottawa Gee-Gees are taking their rivalry on the road! 

On Sunday, November 29, 2026, at 5:00 PM, the two women's hockey programs will face off at the Billy Gebbie Arena in Alexandria as part of the inaugural Rivalry Road Trip.

Experience the excitement of elite U SPORTS hockey, community spirit, and one of Canada's premier university rivalries in a unique game-day atmosphere. Don't miss your chance to be part of this special event. 

Please note that all seating is General Admission. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage fans to arrive early to secure their preferred seats. 

Minor Hockey Teams: This Event Is For You!  

Turn your team outing into a fundraiser. Register your team, earn $2 back on every ticket sold, and compete for exclusive prizes. Gather your players, families, and supporters and help pack the Billy Gebbie Arena for the Rivalry Road Trip.

Contact Gee-Gees Tickets (ggtix@uottawa.ca) to get your team code and get started.  

The Eastern Ontario Training Board is ready to connect employers to graduates of a 12-week Millwright Pre-Apprenticeship Training and Employment Program at St. Lawrence College.

Employers looking to fill entry-level positions, helper roles or apprenticeship opportunities are encouraged to connect with the program.

Financial support is also available! Eligible employers may benefit from a wage subsidy of $10 per hour, for up to 24 hours per week during the first 12 weeks of employment, along with ongoing onboarding, coaching and employee retention support.

This is a great opportunity to bring new talent into your business, develop skilled workers and strengthen our local workforce.

Interested in hiring or learning more?

Contact the Eastern Ontario Training Board directly at info@eotb-cfeo.on.ca for more details.

North Glengarry businesses looking to strengthen their workforce may be eligible for funding through the Ontario Job Grant.

Whether you want to upskill current employees or train new hires, this program can help offset the cost of eligible third-party training — with funding of up to $10,000 per trainee, and even more support available in some cases for small employers.

It’s a valuable opportunity for local businesses to invest in their teams, build capacity and stay competitive in a changing economy. If your business is planning for growth or needs help developing employee skills, this program may be worth exploring.

Applications are accepted year-round. Learn more at: ontario.ca/page/ontario-job-grant.

Looking to Hire? GIAG Can Help You Find the Right People!

Finding and retaining the right employees is key to growing a successful business. Did you know that Glengarry Inter-Agency Group (GIAG) offers FREE, bilingual recruitment and hiring support to employers right here in North Glengarry?

Whether you're hiring your first employee, expanding your team or struggling to fill a position, GIAG's Integrated Employment Services team can help with job postings, candidate matching, recruitment assistance and onboarding and retention support.

Employers can also explore potential training and employment incentives to help offset eligible hiring and workforce development costs.



Let GIAG help take some of the work out of hiring so you can focus on growing your business!

Connect with GIAG Employment Services:

Phone: 613-525-1533 ext. 221

Email: employment@giag.ca

Website: www.giag.ca

North Glengarry Community Grant

Application Deadline: November 30th

The Township of North Glengarry will be accepting applications for the 2027 Community Grant Program until November 30th, 2026.

Local not-for-profit community groups and eligible organizations are encouraged to review the program guidelines and consider applying for funding to support initiatives, events and projects that would benefit the North Glengarry community in 2027.

Program details, eligibility requirements and application forms for the 2027 period will be available through the Township website. Please contact Margaret Babinok, Economic Development Officer for more information.

ecdev@northglengarry.ca

It is not too late to apply for the 2027 SDG Regional Tourism Grant, supporting tourism-focused projects that help attract visitors to SDG Counties.

Eligible projects may include new events, enhancements to existing events, and the development of new tourism products and experiences. This year’s fall intake allows successful applicants to plan ahead and access funding for eligible projects taking place throughout the 2027 calendar year.

Not-for-profit organizations planning a tourism project or event in 2027 are encouraged to explore this funding opportunity.

Application deadline: November 16, 2026

Funding available: Up to $5,000

For Full Program details, visit:

whereontariobegan.ca/sdg-regional-tourism-grant/

Aspiring and growing food entrepreneurs across Ontario can access free training through the Foodpreneur Advantage program, with the current session having launched on October 29^th.

Now available to entrepreneurs in the Cornwall, SDG and Akwesasne area through partnerships with local Business Advisory Centres, the program will include sessions such as:

• How to Sell Your Food Product – November 5, 2026
• Costing, Pricing & Unit Economics – November 12, 2026
• Branding & Marketing your Food Product – November 19, 2026
• Food Safety Fundamentals for Founders – November 26, 2026
• Labelling & Packaging your Food Product – December 3, 2026

For full program details, visit:

Home - Foodpreneur Advantage

The Government of Canada's Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI), delivered locally through FedDev Ontario, provides financial support to businesses affected by tariffs and global trade disruptions.

For eligible North Glengarry businesses, this funding can help ease financial pressures, maintain operations and employment, invest in productivity improvements, and explore new markets to reduce reliance on international trade.

The program offers non-repayable funding of up to $2 million for operating pressures and up to $1 million for eligible projects that strengthen competitiveness, with additional repayable funding available for larger investments. The initiative focuses on tariff-impacted businesses with annual revenues of at least $1 million. Applications are currently being accepted.

For full program details, visit:

https://feddev-ontario.canada.ca/en/funding-southern-ontario/regional-tariff-response-initiative-southern-ontario

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative

The Government of Canada's Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative (RAII), delivered through FedDev Ontario, provides funding to help businesses and organizations adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, improve productivity and strengthen competitiveness.

For eligible North Glengarry businesses, this could mean investing in AI-powered equipment, automation, data analysis, digital infrastructure or employee training to improve efficiency and support growth.

Eligible businesses can access repayable funding ranging from $125,000 to $5 million, covering up to 50% of project costs. Certain incorporated not-for-profit organizations may also qualify for non-repayable funding.

The program is particularly relevant to sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare and transportation.

Applications are open until January 19, 2027, with an earlier deadline of November 24, 2026, for projects starting before March 31, 2027. Eligibility requirements apply.

For full program details, visit:

Regional Artificial Intelligence Initiative in Southern Ontario

 As part of its plan to protect Ontario and help seniors stay healthy, active and connected in their communities, the province is opening applications for the next intake of the Seniors Community Grant Program (SCG).

SCG recipients can receive up to $25,000 to support local programs, services and events to provide seniors with opportunities for greater social inclusion, volunteerism and community engagement.

This year’s investment includes an additional $1 million, specifically for programs dedicated to improving the quality of life for senior veterans.

Application Deadline: December 17th, 2026

Funding Available : Up to $25,000

For full program details, visit:

https://www.ontario.ca/page/seniors-community-grant-program

The Glengarry Hub, Alexandria

Glengarry Hub is a flexible coworking and event space located at 90B Main Street South in Alexandria!

Opened in July 2026 by Alain Legault and Jessica MacLeod, Glengarry Hub offers a welcoming, community-driven environment for freelancers, remote workers, entrepreneurs and businesses looking for a place to work, meet and collaborate.

With flexible hourly, daily and monthly booking options, the space features furnished offices, meeting areas, high-speed internet, presentation equipment and more. It can also accommodate business retreats, workshops, yoga sessions, art classes and other gatherings.

Inspired by a passion for supporting the local economy and revitalizing downtown Alexandria, Glengarry Hub provides a place for people to connect, collaborate and grow their businesses right here in North Glengarry.

90B Main Street South, Alexandria (above Glengarry Market)

glengarryhub.ca

info@glengarryhub.ca



Each month, we are proud to highlight a new or established business in North Glengarry and share a little more about the people, products and services behind it.

If you’ve recently opened a business in North Glengarry or would like to have your established business be considered for a future feature, please contact :

Margaret Babinok, Economic Development Officer

m.babinok@northglengarry.ca

or complete the Business Questionnaire linked below:



Have feedback? Wanting to share something with your fellow business owners and entrepreneurs?

Send it to ecdev@northglengarry.ca to be included in the next eNewsletter.