Digital Transformation Grant
If you're a business owner looking to upgrade your digital footprint, The Digital Transformation Grant (DTG) program is accepting applications until October 31st. The program is focused on assisting small businesses with their adoption of technologies. Administered by the Ontario BIA Association, the program provides training, advisory support and grants to brick-and-mortar small businesses looking to increase their capacity through digital transformation.
A Digital Transformation Grant is open to businesses that meet the following requirements:
- Has a permanent 'brick-and-mortar' establishment in Ontario,
- Is employing 1-50 employees,
- Is NOT a home-based business,
- Is paying commercial property tax (commercially assessed), either directly or through commercial rent,
- Is a registered business in Ontario and/or is incorporated,
- Is open for business/operating at the time of application (not a start up),
- Is open to the general public for walk-in and onsite purchases of goods and services.
Applicants must complete the Digital Transformation for Main Street program, which includes:
- The Digital Main Street Assessment,
- Passing the eligibility quiz,
- Online training,
- Developing a Digital Transformation Plan.
For more information about the Digital Transformation Grant program and to apply, please click here.
If you have any questions about this program, or require any business assistance, don't hesitate to contact the Lennox & Addington Economic Development Office. Whether you're looking to start a new venture, expand & grow your existing business, or need help with succession planning, their team is there to help. Find out more.
Lennox and Addington Community Investment Fund
The Lennox & Addington Community Investment Fund (L&A CIF) is a new initiative undertaken by the L&A Economic Development Team in partnership with community members from across Lennox & Addington. The initiative seeks to be L&A’s first community investment vehicle, allowing local residents to invest in local businesses. The initiative has four core ambitions:
1. Invest in businesses that create demonstrable community benefit
2. Serve as a bridge for local companies to scale from small operations to employers who can create 5-10 new jobs
3. Attract creative businesses and innovative entrepreneurs
4. Be responsive to municipal priorities and community needs
To date, we have been working with a small group of community stakeholders to define core objectives and develop potential models for the L&A CIF and we are now looking to reach a wide group of stakeholders from across L&A to assess interest in the initiative and gauge interest in the different potential models.
Staff will be reaching out to many members of our community directly in the coming weeks but if this initiative sounds like something you may be interested in, we encourage you to reach out directly to the County of Lennox and Addington. - Learn More
Business Support
Canada Digital Adoption Program
The Government of Canada has launched the Canada Digital Adoption Program to support Canadian small-and-medium-sized businesses to grow their online presence and upgrade or adopt digital technologies.
Under the CDAP, Canadian small-and-medium-sized enterprises can assess their digital readiness and apply for grants and loans online. This funding will help them leverage e-commerce opportunities, upgrade or adopt digital technologies, and digitize their operations to stay competitive and meet their customers’ needs in the digital marketplace. Learn More.
Community Development Project 2016
The Community Development Committee was established by Council on December 7, 2015 with a mandate to obtain input from residents and business owners respecting how the Township of Stone Mills could increase revenues to the municipality to help offset the ever increasing costs for services, thereby maintaining a relatively constant level of property taxes for property owners. The Final Report developed by this Committee reflects the input received from the community.
Land O' Lakes Tourist Association
The Township is located within and a proud member of the Land O' Lakes Tourist Association. This association, which was formed in 1943, encompasses 9 municipalities which include over 5000 lakes. While visiting the Land O’ Lakes, you can savour local delicacies, shop in quaint villages, explore through caves, attend a festival, or find a retreat oasis. If fishing and boating are on your agenda, there are guides that can "hook" you up because Your Adventure Awaits in the Land O’ Lakes.
Strategic Plan
Strategic Plan
The four-year strategic plan was adopted by Council November 2015. The strategic plan provides a vision for the municipality together with goals and objectives to achieve this vision. To view the full plan, please click here.
County of Lennox & Addington Economic Development Office
Business owners and entrepreneurs interested in making Stone Mills the location for their business have access to a full gamut of services from the Lennox & Addington Economic Development Office. Their Business Coaching service is free and confidential and can help familiarize you with the community, and aid in finding the appropriate people and resources to help your business or idea succeed.
The County office can also assist with real estate searches, community statistics, as well as grant and financing opportunities. They connect businesses in finding research & development partners to support growth; this could apply innovative technologies to better streamline operations, while always trying to leverage funding to ease the cost burden on the entrepreneur.
Buying Local Builds Communities
As required by the Local Food Act, 2013, the Minister of Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Minister Jeff Leal, has established three goals to help increase access to local food:
- Increase opportunities for all Ontarians to choose local food;
- Increase the variety of local food offerings to celebrate the diversity of Ontario and its foods; and
- Increase collaborations and strengthen partnerships among producers, communities, and the public and private sectors to enhance local food availability.
Applied locally, Stone Mills offers numerous opportunities to buy direct. Foodland Ontario helps by providing an Availability Guide to help purchase "in-season" fruits and vegetables and provides many more interesting facts relating to food as well as links to other related websites.
Business Directory
The Stone Mills Marketplace is a site independent from the Township website and is maintained by local volunteers dedicated to their community. In addition to a business directory, additional local information can be found on the Stone Mills Marketplace site.
Work From Anywhere
The County of Lennox and Addington Economic Development Department new marketing initiative, "Work From Anywhere" is aimed at those entrepreneurs who are presently working from home offices in urban centres, and takes a fun look at where entrepreneurs could potentially start or relocate their business. this new initiative includes a new website, YouTube advertising, Google AdWords, boosted Facebook posts as well as television ads that targets the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa markets. The campaign also highlights work, living, and support opportunities for entrepreneurs in Lennox and Addington. For more information visit: http://workanywhere.ca/.
Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
In accordance with the requirements of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) a procurement entity shall publish a notice of its participation with a buying group at least annually on one of the tendering websites or systems designated by its Party, and that notice shall direct potential suppliers to the buying group tender notices website if it is different from the websites or system of the procurement entity.
To this end, the Township of Stone Mills may choose to participate in one or more procurements conducted by the Local Authority Services (LAS) between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018 for indefinite term projects. For further information and access to LAS request for proposal (RFP) notices, please review the website at www.las.on.ca.
Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucas
The Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucas is comprised of the Wardens and the CAO's of the Counties and Single Tier governments from across Eastern Ontario which includes:
- County of Frontenac;
- County of Haliburton;
- County of Hastings;
- City of Kawaratha Lakes;
- County of Lanark;
- United Counties of Leeds and Grenville;
- County of Lennox and Addington;
- County of Northumberland;
- County of Peterborough;
- United Counties of Prescott and Russell;
- County of Prince Edward;
- County of Renfrew; and
- United Counties of Stormont Dundas and Glengarry.
The Terms Of Reference provides the following Mission and Vision Statements for the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucas"
The Mission of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus Inc. is: “To monitor federal, provincial and municipal legislative, regulatory and government information and to conduct research and analysis for purposes of influencing and advocating enhanced municipal service delivery in Eastern Ontario.”
The Vision of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus Inc. is: “To work collectively to enhance recognition for municipalities as an order of government thorough meaningful communication and representation with the federal and provincial governments, and each other.”
The Eastern Ontario Economic Development Strategy released in February 2014 identifies the opportunities, challenges and strategic priorities for Eastern Ontario.
One of the primary priorties for the EOWC is the development of fast and reliable internet service for the entire region. To help achieve this priority, the Eastern Ontario Regional Network was established with a goal to provide higher internet speeds and bandwidth to at least 95 per cent of homes and businesses in Eastern Ontario and provides an evidence-based economic strategy in order to move the region forward.
A publication identified as the Mapping The Innovation Ecosystem In Eastern Ontario was released on March 31, 2016. This publication was the result of a study commissioned on behalf of the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucas and their partners being the Ontario East Economic Development Commission (OEEDC), Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) and the Eastern Ontario Mayors Committee (EOMC).
For additional information and a listing of the current priorities for the Caucas, please refer to the website at: www.eowc.org.
Telecommunication Towers And Systems
Jurisdication respecting the development of telecommunication towers rests with the Government of Canada under the authority of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. While the Township of Stone Mills recognizes this distinct authority, there are provisions that allow a local municipality to enact controls for public consultation. When a local municipality has established a public consultation process, a proponent of a telecommunications tower must follow this consultation process when a telecommunication tower is being considered within that muncipality.
The Township of Stone Mills adopted Bylaw 2016-846 on November 7, 2016 and provides for a public consultation process for the development of telecommunication towers. The intent of this bylaw is to ensure local residents, as well as certain public bodies are provided with the opportunity to express any concerns respecting this form of development. Upon the satisfactory completion of the consultation process, the Township provides the proponent with a letter of concurrence that states that the proponent has complied with the requirements of Bylaw 2016-846.
While the Township recognizes the importance of this form of development to address the communication demands of our residents and local business, the Township further recognizes the obtrusive nature of telecommunication towers on the rural landscape. It is therefore important to recognize that although Bylaw 2016-846 provides for a process of public consultation, the final authority to allow or dis-allow telecommunication towers remains with the Spectrum Management Operations Branch of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.