April 20, 2005

WELLAND, Ontario, April 20, 2005 – John Maloney, Member of Parliament for Welland, on behalf of the Honourable Joe Comuzzi, Minister of State (FedNor), today announced a Government of Canada contribution totaling $300,000 to the Venture Niagara Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC).  Of this amount, $250,000 will be used to support the ongoing activities of the CFDC.  The remaining $50,000 is being provided to assist the CFDC in developing and implementing services in both official languages.

“The Government of Canada is dedicated to working with local-level partners, such as CFDCs, to help rural Ontario communities become more self-reliant and competitive in today’s knowledge-based economy,” said Mr. Maloney.  “This funding allows this CFDC to build on the areas’s existing strengths, such as the manufacturing sector, while promoting diversification.”

The Venture Niagara 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 Venture Niagara CFDC invested $208,091 and assisted in creating or maintaining 61 jobs, contributing to an enhanced business community.

“This contribution allows us to progress toward our strategic goals to revitalize the local economy while offering services in both official languages, ” said Douglas Johnson, Chair of the Venture Niagara CFDC.  “We look forward to contributing to the future prosperity of the region.”

Through its investment 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 is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

To find out more about Ontario CFDCs, visit us at:  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

Robert Naud
Senior Communications Officer, Industry Canada/FedNor
(613) 954-3691 or 1 877 333-6673