Elgin Business Resource Centre Satellite Office to Open in Aylmer

The County of Elgin will fully fund a one-year pilot project to operate a satellite office of the Elgin Business Resource Centre (EBRC). The office will be located at the Elgin Innovation Centre in Aylmer, and will service eastern Elgin County.

The EBRC is a community based- not-for-profit organization that supports local business communities and encourages entrepreneurship and economic growth through access to capital, business services and project support.

 “The EBRC satellite office will be dedicated to helping business owners and entrepreneurs succeed in today’s ever-changing business market,” said Mike Streib, President of EBRC. “The satellite office will offer assistance to those looking to open a business, formulate a business plan, or make changes to an existing business.”

The County of Elgin has partnered successfully with the EBRC in the past on several initiatives including the Elgin St. Thomas Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC), the Innovation Centre for Entrepreneurs (ICE), and the Youth Entrepreneurship Program (YEP).

“It is of particular importance in these challenging economic times that the County continues to undertake programs and initiatives to support and cultivate local business development and entrepreneurship,” said Elgin County Warden Bill Walters. “This is another example of the County’s Economic Development department forming partnerships that will enhance economic growth.”

There is a strong demand for the services that the EBRC provides for Elgin County residents. By supporting the development of an EBRC satellite office in Aylmer, the County will ensure that new and existing business in the County will have greater access to support services to help them thrive and grow. The Elgin Innovation Centre offers an advantageous location, ample space and a variety of amenities needed for the new office.

“The Elgin Innovation Centre is pleased to be the new home of the EBRC office in Aylmer.  Their presence will help grow local businesses and promote innovation in the area,” said Jack Baribeau, co-owner of the Elgin Innovation Centre.

Look for Elgin County's Commercial on TV!

Elgin County Economic Development is pleased to announce that we have created a television commercial that will be airing on several stations in January 2012. The ad showcases Elgin County’s pristine natural beauty and promotes Elgin as a great place to start a business and raise a family. The 30 second spot will air during City TV’s Breakfast Television January 9th-13th, CHCH Hamilton’s Evening News at 6 January 16th-20th, and CTV London’s News at 6 January 23rd-27th.

The commercial can also be viewed online on our YouTube Channel.

Elgin County Conference Series Focused on Helping Small Business

Elgin County’s Economic Development Department focused on helping small business in the third installment of the Elgin County Conference Series.

Doing Business with the Government was held on November 23rd, 2011 and featured eight speakers, addressing topics ranging from the procurement process to government funding. This one-day seminar showcased business and funding opportunities available to small businesses through all levels of government.

“This conference series demonstrates the County’s commitment to supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs,” said Alan Smith, General Manager of Economic Development for the County. “We will continue to offer valuable business development programming to serve the needs of Elgin’s business community.”

This seminar gave small businesses in Elgin County an opportunity to learn about the process of doing business with the government and how to apply for funding at the federal, provincial and municipal levels. Topics presented included: the funding application process, funding availability, procurement and purchasing processes, and accessing the market for agricultural producers. Dynamic keynote presentations were delivered by speakers ranging from successful business owners to ministry representatives. 

Click HERE to view guest speaker presentations.

Festival and Event Program Generates Economic Impact

　

Elgin-St. Thomas Tourism has provided three separate contributions of $2000 to support local festivals and events.

The County of Elgin and City of St. Thomas encourage groups to celebrate the area’s unique culture by holding special festivals and events in the County and City. In support of this goal, the Community Festival and Event Partnership Program (CFEPP) offered contributions to community groups that take it upon themselves to organize festivals and events that are economic drivers for the community.

Successful applications for 2011 included: Port Stanley CanFest, The Elgin County Railway Museum’s Railway Nostalgia Weekend, and Culture Days at the Arts & Cookery Bank. Applicants selected best met the Elgin-St. Thomas Tourism Marketing Plan goals of increasing the number of people that visit the area, increasing the duration of their stay, and increasing the money that they spend while in Elgin-St. Thomas. Using the Province’s Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model, the County’s Economic Development Department determined that the supported events had a total economic impact of $595,677 for the Elgin and St. Thomas economy.

"Support for these type of festivals and events is extremely important," said Economic Development General Manager Alan Smith, "They generate significant economic gains by attracting visitors from outside the area who spend their dollars in Elgin and St. Thomas."

The Community Festival and Event Partnership Program has successfully been in operation for two years and Elgin-St. Thomas Tourism hopes to offer the program again in 2012.

(Photo:  Alan Smith General Manager Elgin County Economic Development, Carol Gates, Port Stanley CanFest, Sarah VanEngelen, Culture Days at The Arts & Cookery Bank, St. Thomas Mayor Heather Jackson-Chapman Absent from photo:Michael Adams, Railway Nostalgia Weekend)