News from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs:
Earlier this year, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs led a review of the program to ensure that the Rural Economic Development (RED) Program was meeting the expectations of businesses, community organizations and rural municipalities.
The province will soon be accepting applications under a renewed RED program. The new intake will begin in October 2015.
The RED program has an annual funding amount of $14.5 million to help rural communities and regions grow their economic base, attract investment, and invest in the skills of their residents. Support for municipalities and not-for-profits remains largely unchanged. This includes a cost-share of up to 50 per cent, and in exceptional circumstances, up to 90 per cent. There won’t be a cap on project size.
Additional details are being worked out, and once the program is re-launched in October, more information will be made available through the OMAFRA website.