March 2024

Natural Gas Extension Announced for Glendale Subdivision

Enbridge Gas Inc. has announced its plan to extend natural gas supply to the Glendale Subdivision in South Glengarry. Enbridge has engaged a third-party environmental consultant, Stantec Consulting Ltd., to complete an Environmental Study and Environmental Report by September 2024. If the results are favourable, Enbridge will submit a project application to the Ontario Energy Board for approval, with an anticipated start date in 2025. We will provide updates as they become available.

Business Movers and Shakers

TAS Refrigerated Distribution Inc. has entered the construction phase for their 65,000 sq. ft. warehouse being erected at 21895 Old Hwy. 2 in Bainsville. This frozen food distribution centre has a construction value of approximately $10M and brings over 15 jobs to our region.

South Glengarry Child Care will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year! Details of a special event to mark this incredible milestone will be announced.

Congratulations Cathy Smith and the daycare staff.

2024 Cornwall Living Magazine

In the upcoming edition of Cornwall Living Magazine, the Township of South Glengarry highlights local business owner, artist, and sign-maker, Noella Cotnam. While many admire Noella's handpainted farm and business signs, our feature sheds light on her philanthropic work as a Walldog artist. In the last 30 years, Noella has donated hundreds of hours attending Walldog mural festivals in Canada, the U.S., Ireland, Germany, and Australia. The 3-5 day festivals bring international artists together to work on community mural projects that tell the community's history and heritage through works of art on public buildings.

Be sure to read the article in the next edition.

Breakfast Connections in North Stormont - April 25th

Join local business owners for a free networking breakfast from 7:30 - 9:15 a.m. at the Avonmore Recreation Centre. The guest speaker will be Marc Beggs.

Venue: 6299 Fairview Drive, Avonmore.

Free Digital Support in South Glengarry

Penny Rudderham, Digital Support Advisory with the Cornwall and SDG Business Enterprise Centre is offering free 1-1 digital support for small business owners in our area. Penny can meet you at the Township of South Glengarry's municipal office in Lancaster to discuss your online requirements. Please use the link below to schedule your meeting.

Email Penny Today!

The Employability Network is hosting the 2024 Cornwall and Area Job Fair at the Cornwall Civic Complex on Wednesday, April 24th. In addition to other industries, Skills Ontario will be featuring local businesses in the skilled trades.

Public job seeker sessions are being held 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 - 6:00 p.m. to attract more attendees. To register for this event, please click here.

The Cornwall and SDG Business Enterprise Centre is now accepting applications to its Summer Company program for youth aged 15 - 29 planning to start their own business. The interactive and engaging program provides students with essential business skills to launch a business and pitch it to a panel of local entrepreneurs. For additional information about the program and application process, please use the link below.

Summer Company

The My Main Street Program is accepting applications to the Business Sustainability Program. There are grants up to $20k for businesses located on Main Streets across southern Ontario that demonstrate revenue growth and provide a business case for how funding will strengthen their existing capacity and support their growth.

The Business Sustainability stream is accepting applications until March 31, 2024.

Please visit https://mymainstreet.ca for eligibility details or to apply.

Cornwall & Area Lifestyle Expo

The Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce presents the Cornwall and Area Lifestyle Expo taking place on April 26, 27 & 28 at the Benson Centre in Cornwall. If you’d like to attend the expo, please visit:

Lifestyle Expo Registration

Here are a few BDC programs available for South Glengarry Businesses:

1) Energy Retrofit Financing: BDC has a pilot program offering business owners a free consultation with Econoler (Energy Consultant) to analyze opportunities to improve energy efficiency for your building. If you elect to proceed with an energy retrofit based on the resulting recommendations, BDC has financing options to implement those energy-efficiency measures.

Contact one of their local representatives for details:

Justin Côté: justin.cote@bdc.ca

Patrick Fergusson: Patrick.FERGUSON@bdc.ca

Rose D'Amato: rose.damato@bdc.ca

2) BDC Client Mental Health Support: If you are a BDC client, you are eligible for 3 free hours of virtual therapy sessions to help support you when you need it most. Please use this link for details: Mental Health Support for Clients.

3) Other Mental Health Supports available to clients and non-clients.

Save on Energy Retrofit Programs

The Save on Energy Retrofit program offers businesses incentives to upgrade equipment, reduce energy bills, lower carbon footprints, and enhance staff comfort. The program offers financial incentives through these streams.

Custom Stream: Offers financial incentives for larger business retrofit projects.

Prescriptive Stream: Offers financial incentives for upgrading to more energy-efficient equipment.

Greenhouse Stream: Financial incentives for horticulture lighting and lighting controls for greenhouses.

Learn More about Save on Energy Incentives

Funding and Grants

The Grow Ontario Marketing Initiative is now accepting applications. Learn how to apply for funding to grow your agri-food business through marketing analysis and planning, new product development and marketing activities. Recipients may receive up to 50% of eligible costs to a maximum of $60k per project initiative. Please click the link below for more information.

Grow Ontario Market Initiative Guidelines | ontario.ca

The Ontario Regional Opportunities Tax Credit provides a 10% refundable Corporate Income Tax credit for corporations spending more than $50,000 in eligible expenses to construct, renovate, or acquire eligible commercial and industrial buildings in our region. Your maximum tax credit per tax year is $45,000.

The enhanced credit provides a 20% tax credit for eligible expenditures over $50,000 and up to $500,000 for eligible property that becomes available for use between March 24, 2021, and before January 1, 2024. Your maximum credit per tax year is $90,000.

Speak to your Accountant to see if you qualify.

The Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) provides financial incentives for business expansions that create new jobs in Ontario. If you plan to purchase new capital equipment, make operational or process improvements, or expand your market reach, this program may be right for you.

Loans up to 15% of eligible expenses to a maximum of $5M, interest-free for the project duration. If you meet project targets, up to 30% of the loan may be forgiven.

Grants up to 15% of your project to a maximum of $500K for special circumstances.

Application submission period: April 11-May 30, 2024.
Application deadline: May 30th.
Notification by August 27th.

Learn More about the EODF!

Date	Time	Place	Event	Info.
April 2	Noon-1:30 pm	Teams Webinar	Preparing Your Financial Projectons Session 1-SCP	Register Here
April 9	Noon-1:30 pm	Teams Webinar	Preparing Your Financial Documents Session 2-SCP	Register Here
April 16	Noon-1:30 pm	Teams Webinar	Marketing Plan-SCP	Register Here
April 23	Noon-1:30 pm	Teams Webinar	Learn How to Use Canva-SCP	Register Here
April 30	Noon-1:30 pm	Teams Webinar	How to PItch Your Business-SCP	Register Here