May 19, 2005

KOMOKA, Ontario, May 19, 2005 – Rose-Marie Ur, Member of Parliament for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Comuzzi, Minister of State (FedNor), today announced a Government of Canada contribution totalling $500,000 to the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) of Middlesex County.  Of this amount, $250,000 will support the CFDC’s ongoing operations, while the remaining $250,000 is for investment activities in Middlesex County.

“Since its inception in 2001, the Middlesex County CFDC has made significant strides in promoting economic diversification and development in the communities it serves,” said Ms. Ur.  “This funding allows this organization to continue fostering job creation and business expansion.”

The CFDC of Middlesex County is one of 61 CFDCs in rural and Northern Ontario funded by Industry Canada’s Community Futures Program through FedNor.  CFDCs deliver a wide variety of programs and services to support community economic development and small business growth.  They employ local staff and are each governed by a volunteer board of directors, made up of local residents representative of the community.

In the last five years, Ontario CFDCs, through their investment and business counselling activities, invested more than $229 million to help the small business sector create or maintain 26,418 jobs.  Last year, the CFDC of Middlesex County invested $217,000 and assisted in creating or maintaining 14 jobs, contributing to an enhanced business community.

“We can now address local economic needs and priorities and assist area businesses and communities in becoming self-sustaining,” said Greg Shewfelt, President of the CFDC of Middlesex County.  “We look forward to helping strengthen sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing while pursuing knowledge-based economy projects.”

Through its investments in CFDCs, the Government of Canada is acting on its commitment to support economic growth and diversification in rural communities.

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal budget and i therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

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

For more information, please contact:

Graeme Wilkes
Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Joe Comuzzi
(613) 947-5850

Yves Châteauneauf
Communications Officer, Industry Canada/FedNor
(519) 645-5684 or 1 877 333-6673