December 2023

Economic News in Thunder Bay

Unprecedented Demand Surges for Newest RNIP Candidate Intake

The Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission (CEDC) encountered an unprecedented surge of interest during the recent intake for the 2023 Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program. 

CEDC had a limited capacity of 115 candidate spots remaining for 2023 and 2024. It was communicated that once the program met its capacity of applications scoring above 60% the portal would be closed to applications.

The candidate application portal opened at 12:01 am EST on November 17, 2023 and closed at 1:00 am EST after receiving over 200 fully completed applications, each self-scoring above 60%

Paul Pepe, Chair of the new Northern Marketing Committee of Destination Ontario!

Paul Pepe, Manager of Tourism Thunder Bay, has been elected as the chair of the Northern Marketing Committee!

Destination Ontario (NMC) provides strategic guidance, recommendations and endorsement to the corporation’s Board of Directors on Destination Ontario’s northern marketing plans, programs and activities.

Join us in congratulating Paul as he helps drive increased tourism visitation and economic benefit to the region!

Are you interested in providing strategic advice and insights about the tourism industry in Northern Ontario? Do you want to help shape how Ontario drives increased tourism visitation and economic benefit to the region? Applications are now open for the Destination Ontario Northern Marketing Committee (NMC).

Ontario Strengthening Indigenous Economies

Applications are open for funding to support economic development opportunities for Indigenous entrepreneurs and businesses.

The Ontario government is investing $9.2 million in two programs to improve economic opportunities for Indigenous communities across the province.The Indigenous Economic Development Fund (IEDF) and the Indigenous Community Capital Grants Program (ICCGP) provide grants and financing for Indigenous peoples to increase access to support for business, employment and training opportunities.

These programs are an example of Ontario’s commitment to meaningful and lasting reconciliation and to strengthening Indigenous economies.

Happy Holidays from the CEDC!

Have a fun and safe holiday season!

The CEDC Office will be closed at noon on December 22 and will reopen on January 2, 2024.

Exciting News! Welcome Kyle Neabel as our new Small Business Development Officer

It is with great pleasure that we announce the appointment of Kyle Neabel as the new Small Business Development Officer for the CEDC!

Kyle brings a wealth of experience from both the banking and teaching sectors, making him an ideal fit for this critical position. Kyle has worked in both personal banking with RBC and small business banking with Scotiabank.

Additionally, he has taught sales and merchandising management and consumer behaviour at Lakehead all while participating in course development, re-creating the marketing analytics course.

We look forward to Kyle contributing his skills and expertise to the collective success of Thunder Bays small business sector!

CEDC Hosts Part 2 of Community Workforce Communications Workshop

The purpose of these sessions is to provide a platform for open dialogue and collaboration among major employers, community partners, and key stakeholders. We believe that by bringing together communication and human resource professionals from local organizations who are actively involved in workforce attraction and retention initiatives, we can collectively address the challenges and opportunities within our community.

Additionally, we hope to build consistent messaging and communication about Thunder Bay and develop universal marketing tools to ensure we are promoting Thunder Bay in a collective voice.

CEDC Hosts Community Session with the Trade Commissioner of the UK

CEDC along with a variety of community partners welcomed the trade Commissioner of the UK to Thunder Bay.

The meeting involved discussion of growth, opportunities and how Thunder Bay is well positioned for future partnerships.

Thank you to all of our community partners involved, it was a great session! 

Congratulations to Meaglow for being the 2023 Innovative Company of the Year

Thunder Bay CEDC proudly presented the 2023 Innovative Company of the Year award to local company, Meaglow, at this years Innovative awards.

Meaglow has been selling its gas plasma sources to the semiconductor industry, replacing legacy sources that were less than optimum for current applications. The company has a unique set of designs that have greatly reduced oxygen contamination problems and provide a higher flux of active plasma species.

Sales have been made to such high-level customers as the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratories, U.S. Naval Research, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories, among many others. Meaglow designed, locally built, plasma sources have now been distributed to ten different countries.

Thank you to Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre for hosting a great event!

Exciting News! Welcome Jayna Dawd as our new Information and Marketing Officer

We are thrilled to announce that Jayna Dawd has joined the Thunder Bay CEDC as the Information and Marketing Officer!

"Thunder Bay isn’t just where I grew up; it’s a part of who I am, and its influence resonates in the values, memories, and lasting connections that have shaped my professional journey," said Jayna.

"Through my passion of marketing and my love for this community, I am excited to be apart of the CEDC team and help to evoke a sense of adventure and discovery, enticing others to explore Thunder Bay and make their own memories in this hidden gem of the North!"

Jayna's enthusiasm and experience makes her the perfect candidate to help support and showcase the diverse economic and lifestyle opportunities in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario.

Install an EV Charger on your property



Plug-in Thunder Bay funding program is aimed to support Thunder Bay businesses and property owners with the he installment of Electric Vehicle(EV) charging stations.



• Funding will support up to 50% of total project costs
• For profit & non-profit organizations are eligible for funding
• Program is fully supported and easy to use

Small Business News in Thunder Bay

Instagram for Small Business

As part of our FREE webinars for small business owners, Brook will go through how to craft an engaging Instagram profile, grow your follower base, building a community of loyal followers, create content: photos, stories and reels, etc. Also, as part of our service, you can book free one-on-one meetings with any of our squad members.

Date: Wednesday, December 6th

Time: 5 – 7

This session will be online, registration is mandatory to attend.

Tourism News in Thunder Bay

Sign-up for our monthly Tourism Newsletter 

To learn about upcoming events and find out what is happening in Thunder Bay.

Tourism Growth Program (TGP) in Northern Ontario

Delivered by Canada’s regional development agencies, the Tourism Growth Program (TGP) provides $108 million over 3 years to support Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, small and medium-sized businesses and not-for-profit organizations in developing local tourism products and experiences.

The TGP contributes to the Federal Tourism Growth Strategy, which charts a course for long-term growth, investment, and stability in Canada’s tourism industry, from coast to coast to coast.

Eligible applicants include:

• incorporated small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in the tourism industry
• Indigenous-owned businesses or organizations
• not-for-profit organizations (NPOs) including tourism associations and organizations
• municipalities

Click the link below for additional details on eligibility and on how to apply.

The Indigenous Tourism Fund Micro and Small Business Stream: Indigenous Tourism Operators Success in Mind

At the core of this significant investment is the highly anticipated Indigenous Tourism Fund Micro and Small Business Stream, and the intake is now open to accept applications.

Its primary goal is to empower Indigenous tourism operators in Canada to meet Market Ready standards (as outlined through our Original Original Accreditation Program) and thrive in the ever-evolving tourism landscape. With the support of this program, Indigenous tourism businesses will have the opportunity to secure up to $25,000 in funding per business.

Bring It Here!

Did you know conventions, conferences, and meetings bolster Thunder Bay’s economy by bringing in new dollars? Even board meetings can have a big impact. Every meeting or event creates work in the service industry, brings guests to our hotels, visitors to restaurants, shops and attractions and supports our pandemic recovery. The result of this new, non-local money injected into Thunder Bay’s economy is substantial.

With minimal time commitment, you

can make a big difference by helping us bring your group’s meeting or event to

Thunder Bay.

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