Small Business Supports

Business Retention and Expansion project update

Our Business Retention and Expansion (BR + E) project launched in late August with the purpose to assess how business owners/managers view the community as a place to do business. In turn, we will use the information from the survey to plan future economic development activities that will be delivered by the Economic Development Team.

We want to thank those that completed the survey. We will be releasing the results in early 2024.

Canada Summer Jobs Grant

Application period: November 21, 2023 to January 10, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Standard Time

Who can apply: Employers from not-for-profit organizations and the public sector, as well as private sector organizations with 50 or fewer full-time employees.

What this program offers: Canada Summer Jobs provides wage subsidies to employers to create quality summer work experiences for young people aged 15 to 30 years.

Link to apply and to learn more: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/canada-summer-jobs.html

SNAPP Sustainable New Agri-Food Products and Productivity Program

Applications for Intake 2 will be accepted from November 6, 2023 to January 12, 2024

The Sustainable New Agri-Food Products and Productivity (SNAPP) Program is for Northern Ontario agriculture and food producers and businesses. SNAPP will provide up to $10,000 at 50 percent cost-share towards the purchase of equipment and/or materials that will result in the creation of innovative food or agricultural products new to the business; enhance productivity and/or improve efficiency or resource use through innovation in the process or technology to improve products or processes; or reduce ecological impact and carbon footprint through innovation in the process or technology while enhancing profitability.

If you are a food producer or farmer, this program is for you!

Reach out to Corey Jones at corey@nwoinnovation.ca and learn more at the following link: https://rainalgoma.ca/snapp/

Holiday promotion summary

The team continued to promote Kenora this season! The campaign includes the following:

Radio, Blitz ads, posters, targeted social media marketing - the radio and social media ads were broadcasted out to the region and into Winnipeg;

Engaged Kim Does 807 to deliver two videos for Instagram and Facebook to feature Kenora during the holidays and the Holiday Trail. Please check them out at the links below and share: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kimdoes807/, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KimDoes807

Continued to promote all things happening in Kenora, like what’s new, where to eat, where to shop and must-see places through the Ken and Nora social media pages. Ken and Nora have an Instagram page that can be found here: https://www.instagram.com/kenandnora/ and Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/kenandnora.  If you have things to share or tell Ken and Nora, please tag the account in your post and stories or direct message them through social media channels.

Added Selfie spots around town: Check out the seasonal selfie spots in the downtown including City Hall, the corner of Second Street South and Park Street, and Lake of the Woods Plaza!

Media releases

We are happy to share projects and events that our team has worked on! Please see below for the media releases:

• City Prepares for Public Washroom Installation
• City Celebrates Winter Banner Community Art Project
• City of Kenora Wins Marketing Canada Awards
• Economic Development Partners with Société Économique de l’Ontario (SEO) to Promote Kenora Jobs at International Forum
• City Economic Development Department Hosting Northern Event