September 21, 2006

HAILEYBURY, Ontario, August 21, 2006 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Minister for FedNor, today announced an investment of more than $1.3M in the South Temiskaming Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC).  The funding will support the CFDC’s investment and community economic development activities in the region.

“Community Futures organizations like the South Temiskaming CFDC are the cornerstone of our economic development efforts at the community level,” said Minister Clement.  “CFDCs have proven time and time again that they are an invaluable asset to entrepreneurs and business owners.”

FedNor’s investment will assist the CFDC to:

• support increased demands by local small and medium-sized businesses for repayable loans, equity and loan guarantees ($750,000)
• launch a three-year project to explore opportunities and enhance agriculture in the region ($300,000)
• fund a variety of local, small-scale economic development projects ($210,150)
• promote the fifth annual “La Foire Gourmande de l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue et du Nord-Est Ontarien,”to be held August 18 – 20, 2006 in Ville-Marie, Québec ($40,000).  This popular event attracts Northeastern Ontario and Northwestern Québec food producers and stakeholders, enhancing awareness of the area’s farm products industry and marketing the region as a tourism destination.

In the last five years, Northern Ontario CFDCs, through their loans and business counselling activities, have helped the small business sector create or maintain 10,621 jobs in the North.  Last year, the South Temiskaming CFDC invested $998,562 and assisted in creating or maintaining 179 jobs, contributing to an enhanced business community.

“We intend to continue playing a strong role in the development of the local economy and we look forward to exploring new business opportunities,” said Carman Kidd, Chair of the South Temiskaming CFDC.  “By focussing our resources on the objectives of our strategic plan, we can move towards an even stronger regional economy.”

The South Temiskaming CFDC is one of 61 Community Futures Development Corporations in rural and Northern Ontario funded by FedNor's Community Futures Program.

To find out more about Ontario CFDCs, visit:  http://cfdc-ontario.ic.gc.ca

For more information, please contact:

Erik Waddell
Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
613-957-0200

Melanie Mayer
Communications Officer, FedNor
705-671-4425 or 1-877-333-6673