Economic subjects | Economic policy » Economic Infrastructure, Contributing to Investment-Ready Communities

Source: http://www.doksinet Economic Infrastructure – Contributing to Investment-Ready Communities Ontario’s tools and resources are available to help build stronger local economies. The Investment Ready: Certified Site Program is an investment attraction initiative that provides financial and marketing support to applicants that complete a set of requirements and due diligence for an eligible property. Those properties that receive a designation provide investors with a greater degree of certainty when assessing developmental opportunities in Ontario. This includes detailed information about utility-based servicing, transportation access, and environmental-related concerns. Designated sites will also benefit from international marketing and promotional campaigns at key global events. Since 2003, the province has invested more than $167 million in 418 Rural Economic Development Program (RED Program) projects, generating more than $1.2 billion in local economic activity and

creating more than 35,000 jobs. The RED Program provides up to $45 million funding per year for three years to help communities and regions remove barriers to community development and help promote economic growth. Ontario is helping communities develop strategies to strengthen local economies. The Economic Development Analysis Resources provide data on regional economies and workforces to help build economic development plans. First Impressions Community Exchange (FICE) reveals the first impression communities convey to potential visitors, investors and new residents. The Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) fosters strategy development which, in turn, supports businesses’ efforts to retain and create new jobs and opportunities. Downtown Revitalization/Downtown Market Analysis is an initiative to stimulate reinvestment in traditional downtown districts. Ontario is a strong supporter of Local Food. Since 2003, the province has invested more than $116 million to support local food.

By supporting partnerships and innovation, the Local Food Fund will make sure more people benefit from the good things that grow in Ontario. The Local Food Fund is designed to support innovative local food projects that celebrate local food, and help create jobs and economic growth in Ontario. The Great Lakes Strategy released in 2012, is Ontario’s first road map to guide the province’s future actions aimed at protecting the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are vitally important to Ontarians in terms of drinking water, quality of life, and prosperity. The towns along Ontario’s’ shorelines and beaches are popular tourist destinations, and the Great Lakes’ waters and watersheds are home to thousands of species. Building Together , Ontario’s long-term infrastructure plan provides a strategic framework to guide infrastructure investment decisions over the next decade. As part of implementing Building Together, the province launched the Municipal Infrastructure Strategy in 2012. The

goals of the strategy include: making good asset management planning universal, optimizing use of the full range of infrastructure financing tools, and addressing the structural challenges facing small communities. Finally, the province has made nearly $200 million available through the Municipal Infrastructure Investment Initiative 1 Source: http://www.doksinet (MIII) and the Small, Rural and Northern Municipal Infrastructure Fund to help municipalities address critical infrastructure projects and prepare asset management plans. Ontario recognizes that accessing high-speed Internet is critical for economic development. That’s why, since 2007, the province has invested almost $120 million to expand connectivity in rural and northern Ontario. As a result, 95 per cent of households and businesses in eastern Ontario will have access to broadband. Meanwhile, 500,000 rural residents and businesses across southern Ontario will also have Internet access as well as remote communities.

Ontario works closely with municipalities to keep their Official Plans current through a five-year review process that’s in accordance with the Planning Act. Ensuring these municipal documents are up-to-date is important to respond to ever-changing market conditions, create high-quality built environments, and provide flexible and context-relevant standards that can be implemented to support economic development goals. A Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is a financial tool that enables municipalities to provide grants and loans to stimulate private sector investment in targeted areas or across the municipality The Brownfield Financial Tax Incentive Program encourages the clean-up and re-development of brownfield properties by providing those eligible properties with tax assistance. Ontario is committed to ensuring that rural Ontario students have equal access to a high-quality education. Over the past ten years, funding for rural school boards has increased by $4,607 more per student

– representing a 61.5 per cent increase In addition, as part of the 2013 Ontario Budget, small and rural hospitals received $20 million to help transform health care delivery and provide better integrated care. 2