EDCO Member Updates

TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER!

VERY LIMITED SPACES LEFT!

Join EDCO’s 2026 Wellington County Regional Event

September 9–10 | Elora, Ontario

Be part of an engaging two-day experience focused on practical strategies, rural innovation, and real-world economic development insights—and earn 3 certification points.

Featured Sessions:

Main Street Reality: What Drives Business Growth
BR+E Strategies for Stronger Communities
Connecting Businesses & Global Talent
Supporting the Future of Agriculture
Toolkits for Rural Resiliency [edco.on.ca]

Pre-Event Workshops and Events (Sept 9 – Limited Space)

Why Economic Development Matters (for elected officials and municipal leaders- separate registration required)
Downtown Revitalization Workshop (separate registration required)
Plus a Downtown Elora Tour and networking reception—included in your registration—where you’ll enjoy great food, great company, and the thrill of a live horse race

Wellington Information and Registration

Apply now for The EDCO Awards of Excellence 2026!

The application period for the 2026 EDCO Awards of Excellence is now open!

The Awards of Excellence program recognizes outstanding municipal economic development initiatives and achievements from across Ontario. Categories include Business Attraction & Retention, Workforce Development & Talent Attraction, Visitor Attraction & Tourism Product Development, Excellence in City Building, Rural Economic Development, and more.

Applications will be accepted until October 16, 2026. Review the guidelines and submit your entry today!

Learn more and apply.

Awards Information and Application

Check out the new EDCO Award Winner Spotlight Series, a collaboration between EDCO and the Hyper Local Podcast. Hear directly from Awards of Excellence recipients as they share the stories, challenges, and community impact behind their award-winning projects. Tune in to discover the innovators shaping economic development across Ontario. New episodes coming weekly!

Pre-Event Workshops (Oct 7 – Limited Space)

*Separate registration required for these workshops.

Clearview Information and Registration

Inside EDCO's New Strategic Plan

Curious about what's next for EDCO?

Join us for a virtual open house to learn more about EDCO's 2026-2029 Strategic Plan and the priorities that will guide our organization over the next four years. We'll share why the plan was developed, highlight our key strategic priorities, discuss what members can expect, and answer your questions during a live Q&A session.

Whether you've already explored the plan or are just getting started, this is a great opportunity to gain insight into EDCO's future direction and how we'll continue to support economic development professionals across Ontario.

October 14th, 2026

10:00 - 11:00 am

EDCO is pleased to introduce Investing in Our Future: Why Economic Development Matters

This is an excellent opportunity designed specifically for elected officials, senior municipal leaders, and decision makers across Ontario.

Economic development is one of the most influential tools municipalities have to shape long‑term prosperity—yet it is often misunderstood or narrowly defined. This session provides a clear, accessible overview of what economic development truly is, what it is not, and how strategic decision‑making at the council and leadership level directly impacts a community’s ability to grow, compete, and thrive.

Participants will gain a stronger understanding of:

The role economic development plays in municipal success
How local decisions influence business attraction, retention, and community vibrancy
Why economic development is a shared responsibility across departments and leadership tables

We are offering two final sessions in 2026 that coincide with our regional events, making it easy for elected officials and municipal leaders to participate.

Registration is still open for the final two 2026 sessions — we encourage councils and senior leadership teams to reserve their spots early.

Elora - September 9

Clearview - October 7

More Information and Registration

Big News for Ontario’s Economic Development Professionals!

ResearchFDI and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) have teamed up to bring you an exclusive opportunity to elevate your career with special discounted access to the ResearchFDI Academy!

What’s in it for you?

✅ Cutting-edge, self-paced training in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)

✅ Expert-led modules on global investment strategies, stakeholder engagement, lead generation, and investor aftercare

✅ Earn the prestigious FDIP (Foreign Direct Investment Professional) certification

✅ Exclusive Ontario module developed with Invest Ontario for regional investment expertise

✅ Customizable learning options for your organization

This is your chance to sharpen your investment attraction skills, enhance your credentials, and stand out in the competitive economic development landscape. EDCO members get exclusive pricing—don’t miss out!

We were proud to celebrate the Ontario FDIP graduates recognized at the 2026 EDCO Conference for their commitment to excellence in investment attraction, and we look forward to recognizing future graduates at next year’s conference as this community of certified professionals continues to grow across Ontario. This partnership further demonstrates EDCO’s commitment to equipping its members with top-tier resources, exclusive pricing, and access to an industry-leading platform designed to meet the evolving challenges of modern investment attraction.

To take advantage of this exclusive offer, EDCO members must be current members and can use the code #EDCO2025 for special pricing on the ResearchFDI Academy platform when signing up here.

CanExport offers funding for FDI training—learn more about the CanExport Community Investments Program here.

More Information on EDCO Member Discount

Discover Global Opportunities with ResearchFDI’s Aerospace, Defence & Security Events Guide

Developed through the extensive research and expertise of ResearchFDI in partnership with EDCO, this comprehensive guide is an essential resource for Ontario’s economic development professionals. It highlights 18 key international trade shows across six continents, offering unparalleled insight into where global aerospace, defence, and security investment conversations are happening.

This guide is designed to help EDCO members strategically identify high-impact events, connect with decision-makers, and position their communities as prime destinations for foreign direct investment. Each listing provides practical details and strategic context, making it easy to prioritize opportunities and maximize engagement.

This tool empowers members to take a focused, informed approach to global outreach—turning trade show participation into meaningful partnerships, investment attraction, and long-term economic growth.

View Aerospace, Defence & Security Events Guide PDF

Member Requests

The Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) and Destination Canada have refreshed the Canadian Travel Insights Dashboard with 2025 data, giving tourism businesses and organizations access to the latest insights into how Canadians are travelling.

The free, easy-to-use dashboard explores what motivates Canadian travellers, barriers to travel, accommodation preferences and travel timing. Domestic data can also be filtered by province and traveller segment, helping tourism operators and destinations make more informed business and marketing decisions.

Explore the Data

Regional Tariff Response Initiative Now Open

The Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI) is providing support to businesses and organizations in southern Ontario responding to tariffs and global trade pressures.

Delivered through FedDev Ontario, the initiative is designed to help businesses boost productivity, reduce costs, strengthen supply chains and access new markets.

Learn more

Help Innovation Cluster Reach Trades Professionals Ready to Build Stronger Businesses

Innovation Cluster is recruiting participants for BuildUP, an 8-week business program designed specifically for trades professionals who want to start, strengthen, or grow their business.

We're looking for partners who can help us put this opportunity in front of trades professionals in their networks and communities.

Program Dates: October 6 – November 24, 2026

Learn More & Apply: https://innovationcluster.ca/buildupaccelerator

Canada-U.S. Relations: Federal Supports & Resources

Businesses, workers, exporters, and travellers can access a range of federal resources and support programs related to Canada-U.S. trade and economic relations, including information on tariffs, CUSMA compliance, financial assistance, export support, and workforce measures. Learn more through the Government of Canada’s comprehensive resource hub.

Learn more: Canada-United States: Overview and federal supports.

Bright Ideas Competitors need to hear from you!

Help Us Reimagine Community Improvement Plans in Ontario!

As part of EDCO’s Bright Ideas Competition, our team is exploring how Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) are being used across Ontario and whether these tools are keeping pace with the economic realities municipalities face today.

We’re looking to hear from economic development professionals about how CIPs are administered, what’s working, where challenges or gaps exist, how success is measured, and where there may be opportunities to improve or rethink the model.

The survey takes approximately 8–10 minutes to complete. Your input will help inform our research and the development of practical recommendations for the future of municipal incentive programs in Ontario.

Survey link HERE.

Innovation Cluster presents an exciting new event: IC Talks: Unfiltered. The event will take place on the evening of October 1st, 2026, at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre downtown Peterborough.

IC Talks: Unfiltered is a new thought leadership event designed to bring together voices from across business, healthcare, technology, education, manufacturing, and investment for honest conversations about where our region is headed.

We've intentionally designed this event to be more than a series of presentations. It's an opportunity to hear different perspectives, challenge assumptions, make new connections, and leave with fresh ideas.

Attendees for the event can secure their registration here.

Current Funding Opportunities

Rural Ontario Development Program application period 3 is opening soon

The Rural Ontario Development (ROD) program application period 3 will be opening soon from August 17, 2026 to October 1, 2026.

Need help with your application? Attend a ROD program information session.

Community Development Stream:

· August 20, 2026 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

· September 1, 2026 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Business Development Stream:

· August 20, 2026 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

· September 1, 2026 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Coaching for applicants is also available in French. More information can be found on the website.

Learn More

Ontario Together Trade Fund Program

The OTTF provides financial support to businesses looking to make near-term investments so they can serve more interprovincial customers, develop new markets and re-shore critical supply chains in the face of U.S. tariffs. With a focus on small and medium enterprises (SMEs), the program will help businesses, build local capacity, enhance trade resiliency, and make the necessary investments to successfully expand into new markets.

Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Projects must be completed within 24 months of the start date.

Learn More

The Ontario Municipal Partnership Fund (OMPF) is the Province's main general assistance grant to municipalities, providing a total of $600 million in unconditional funding to 388 municipalities through the 2026 OMPF program.

The program primarily supports small, northern and rural municipalities across the province. Its objectives are to:

recognize the challenges of small, northern and rural municipalities, while targeting funding to those with more challenging fiscal circumstances
support areas with limited property assessment
assist municipalities that are adjusting to year-over-year funding changes.

Learn More Here

For additional information, or for other general inquiries about the OMPF program, email your query and contact information to: info.ompf@ontario.ca.

News

Ontario Marks First Access to Nickel Ore at the Craig Mine Onaping Depth Expansion

GREATER SUDBURY — Today, as Ontario continues its work to protect workers and communities from U.S. tariffs by unlocking critical minerals and building mines faster, Premier Doug Ford was in Northern Ontario to celebrate accessing the first nickel ore at the Onaping Depth Project. This 2,600-metre-deep extension of Glencore Canada’s existing Craig Mine, which was shut down in 2009, is the result of a nearly $2 billion investment that will provide a significant new source of high-grade nickel ore beyond 2040, helping Ontario deliver on its plan to build mines faster and unlock world-class mineral wealth that will attract investment and strengthen the province’s position as a secure and reliable global supplier of critical minerals. During construction, the project generated approximately 7,000 jobs and it will support up to 400 jobs at full production in 2027.

Learn more

Government of Canada announces support to strengthen Canadian workers and businesses

Southern Ontario is one of Canada's most dynamic and productive economic regions. For generations, our businesses, workers, and communities have helped build prosperity through innovation, manufacturing excellence, entrepreneurship, and strong cross-border trade relationships. As global trade pressures persist, the Government of Canada is investing to strengthen resilience, boost competitiveness, and create good jobs.

Learn more

Government of Canada investing over $1.7 million to enhance economic development in the Parry Sound - Muskoka area

In a rapidly changing world shaped by tariffs, skills shortages and AI reshaping the workforce, the Government of Canada is focused on what it can control: building a stronger, more resilient economy. Advanced manufacturing is a key pillar of that effort. Yesterday, the government launched the Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Alliance to help close skills gaps in the sector. Today FedNor is backing that investment in Northern Ontario businesses and communities, helping them adopt new technologies, adapt to shifting markets and grow.

Learn more

Check out the EDCO Career Page