Norfolk County is receiving more funding to help plan for the future.
Minister of Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson came down to council chambers in Simcoe on Thursday to announce the county would be receiving $116,050 through the Rural Economic Development Program which the county plans to match.
The Future Ready Norfolk program is set to be a comprehensive program designed to revitalize and sustain the local economy, while also making way for new members of the community.
Mayor Amy Martin spoke after the announcement, once again stressing that with Norfolk’s current financial state, any additional funding is worth celebrating.
This program is split into multiple parts: Business Retention and Expansion, Quality of Life for Workers Study, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and New to Norfolk.
Martin said one of their main focuses is on the growth in Norfolk and making sure local business already here have what they need to grow with it.
This program is just in the initial stages, meaning a lot of data will need to gathered before money goes back out, but Martin is hopeful this won’t take long.
A full break down of the initiatives are below:
Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E): Engaging with local businesses across sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, tourism, and retail to identify challenges, opportunities, and solutions.
Quality of Life for Workers Study: Investigating critical factors like housing, transit, healthcare, and recreational amenities to enhance worker retention and attract new talent.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Promoting DEI awareness and training within the local business community and supporting equitable access to resources for underrepresented communities.
New to Norfolk: Providing information, tools, and connections to newcomers to support their integration into the community and local workforce, including a comprehensive web portal for community resources.
Written by Matt LeBlanc