The “farm to table” industry in has a new tool to improve economic development in Ontario East. The final report of the “Plan to Grow” action research project was funded through the National Farmers Union’s New Farm Project. Although this research focused on Frontenac, Lennox and Addington and the City of Kingston, the knowledge it contains can be used by rural communities throughout Ontario East. The report highlights the priorities of people interested in a more sustainable food and farm system in this area, including farmers, processors, distributors, restaurateurs, food security advocates, and eaters, but will also be relevant to others in the Creative Economy, including marketers, builders and architects, and supply chain management experts.

The report notes “[a] healthy local and regional food economy will support not only strong and diverse farm businesses but will also benefit the region-wide network of businesses and services using local farm products. Local food benefits us all in that local farm and food business pay local taxes, employ local people, circulate dollars in the local economy and provide us with food and farm products that we want and need. All of us eat, and we are all affected by the quality of our food and the health of our communities.”

By promoting local food as an economic booster through business improvement and tourism-focused campaigns that highlight the availability and diversity of locally produced and prepared products, business opportunities for farmers and restaurateurs have increased. Still, the report notes gaps that can be filled through co-operation with others in the sector. One area is improved awareness, including renewed marketing campaign efforts such as a Buy Local Campaign and a “Local” label or brand for local food, and continued promotion of local food directories

The report found that a vibrant local food system includes many sectors that work together to grow and eat locally produced food. These sectors also address the need for access for all residents and viability for farmers. There has been an expanding interest in local food over the last decade with co-operation among food security programs, urban agriculture initiatives, farmer organizations and more. However, the short to mid-term supply of local food, defined as food grown on local acres produced for local consumption, is far outweighed by short to mid-term demand, and there is a lack sufficient local infrastructure for processing and distribution.

The report suggests that undeveloped co-ordination and planning across the entire local food system is among the top three gaps in the local food system. Without better coordination and participation from across the system in collective planning activities, emerging enterprises may be duplicating rather than complementing efforts.

The interest in accessing local food reaches across individual eaters, small retailers, restaurants and institutions. Residential consumers are more likely to buy from small local food retailers and farmers’ markets. However, retail and institutional purchasers prefer readily and consistently available food obtained at a central location. The lack of these sites is a major barrier to local food participation by food-based programs and commercial retailers.

Producers say transporting their product to different locations is challenging and costly. In addition, most small producers have limited capacity to store their product, which affects limits the ‘shelf life’ of the food they have available to sell. They say a method of pooling of produce would to make it easier for people to purchase locally produced foods

There is no shortage of successful strategies to ensure long-term success for the viability of farms. A priority is a strong financial understanding of the farm business. Ongoing on-farm innovation and open sharing of successful production and business models is also required. Key on-farm factors for long-term success were passionate farmers, efficient production and detailed business planning.

The report notes that more advanced types of knowledge and skills are also necessary, including the strong need for an extension type of service providing on-going one-on-one support, advice and networking. However, geographic distances and travelling times for farmers to meet and visit each other can be a challenge, one that may be overcome by the use of social media and the Internet.

While the focus of the report was the local food sector, others may benefit. Logistics and supply chain management experts may be interested in the challenges of moving products from the farm to the market. Architects and builders could assist in designing and constructing centrally located facilities. Marketers may create new campaigns to promote locally grown food and financial experts can offer advice on sound business planning.

The ”Plan to Grow” project included the perspectives of a number of present and potential participants in all areas of the local food system, including farmers, processors, distributors, retailers, municipal and provincial employees and program staff across a number of community organizations. The information about local food strengths, challenges and pressures will allow the community and the NFU New Farm Project to evolve the local food system.

Click here to view full report

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

The Creative Economy in Prince Edward County will get another boost early next year. Local wineries, food producers, artists and musicians all stand to benefit when Drake Hotel Properties opens the Drake Devonshire Inn in Wellington, Prince Edward County. The historic building on the shores of Lake Ontario will be restored and transformed into a boutique hotel.

Chef Chris Sanderson will use locally sourced ingredients and in-season produce to tempt both locals and visitors alike in the Devonshire’s restaurant, while delicious baked goods will accompany a morning cup of coffee on the screened, colonial-style deck hovering over Lake Ontario. The menu will also showcase VQA wines from Prince Edward County. Cultural programming will feature local musicians, artists and performers.

Along with the Sanderson’s, Innkeepers Chris and Jessica Loane are Toronto transplants and veteran Drake Hotel employees. They look forward to moving to Prince Edward County with their young families, and will oversee the 30 new team members that Drake will hire locally and welcome into key roles and positions at the Inn.

Local firm Loyalist Contractors is helping to get the property ready, exposing, reclaiming and restoring the historic inn while turning it into a world-class boutique hotel featuring six stylishly updated rooms. Drake hopes to create the feel of a summer camp for grown-ups, alongside a genuine local hangout and next-generation getaway for the metropolitan cottage crowd.

The decision to replicate the Drake brand of hospitality, culture and community in Prince Edward County was made simple by the County’s amazing beaches, internationally acclaimed vineyards, resident artists and an exciting local culinary community and Taste Trail.

Drake Devonshire Inn is located at 24 Wharf St. in Wellington, Prince Edward County. For more information, visit www.devonshire-inn.com.

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Steve Chan, CEO of Little Think Tank believes Prince Edward County has all the right ingredients for success. Key was a partnership with PEC Innovation Centre investors, matched by funding from the federal Community Futures Program.

Craig Desjardins, Executive Director of the Prince Edward, Lennon and Addington Community Futures Development Corporations says it is an innovative new direction for the Community Futures program because it takes advantage of the opportunities for growth in technology and brings young people and new business into the area.

In fact, access to a highly skilled labour market was one of the attractions for Steve Chan. The ability to tap into the Animation department at Loyalist College and the Computer Science department at Queen’s University is a huge competitive advantage in his industry. Little Think Tank will be looking for animators, experts in math and computer programmers to help develop the games for tablets and smart phones. Five people will be hired right away, with another five by September.

The quality of life in Prince Edward County was also an important factor in the decision to move from California. The County is appealing for its small-town atmosphere, its recreational opportunities and its restaurants and cafes. Large homes sell for less than half of those in Silicon Valley, and the new research park the company is moving into includes a marina. Since the facility opened last spring, 10 entrepreneurs with a total of 37 employees have set up shop.

More information about the Prince Edward County Innovation Centre can be found at pecinnovationcentre.ca

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Now that deserves a standing ovation!

For more details visit www.parktheatrecobourg.com

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Tiburon Treats Inc. was forged from Jo Ann’s desire to provide healthy, all natural treats for her pets. Originally from California, Jo Ann began producing the all natural treats from her home, often providing samples for pets of friends and family – which became an instant hit.  Realizing the potential for her product, through popularity and market desire, Jo Ann founded Tiburon Treats Inc. in 1999.

After moving toToronto, Jo Ann continued with her market and product development through the on-going creation of new flavours and enthusiastic taste testing – often by her own pets – Buster, Shorty, Kiana and Snoopy!  Jo Ann’s products are made with local, all natural ingredients – no animal byproducts, additives, salts or sugars are added – and to attest to their all natural claim, Jo Ann taste tests them herself!  Tiburon Treats Inc. launched their complete line of all natural super premium dog biscuits in 2008.

After a comprehensive search of properties and communities in which to establish her developing manufacturing business, Jo Ann found everything she needed within the Municipality of Port Hope.  The facility provides for the current needs and future growth of the business – which will be evident as a result of the ongoing accolades and awards presented to Tiburon Treats Inc.  In March of 2011, Tiburon Treats Inc. won the Top Prize in the Inaugural Bears’ Lair Business Competition in Peterboroughand has also been awarded the Stamp of Approval from Animal Wellness Magazine.

Judy Selvig, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for the Municipality of Port Hope, states “Tiburon Treats is a fantastic success story that showcases one of Port Hope’s intriguing creative economy manufacturers.  Jo Ann is passionate about her business and has the drive and direction to make Tiburon Treats Inc. even more successful.”

Jo Ann continues to promote the mandate of Tiburon Treats Inc. – to foster animal wellness including nutrition, taste, and responsible pet ownership – through her participation at National and Regional Trade Shows.

Tiburon Treats
3669 County Rd2 Port Hope ON   L1A 3V5  Canada
Phone: 905.753.1113   Toll-Free: 1.855.233.1113
info@tiburontreats.com    www.tiburontreats.com

Contact:  Jo Ann Baguioro-Thompson, Founder & Chief Executive Officer
joannbaguioro@tiburontreats.com or jbagu2474@rogers.com

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

A joint effort by Hastings County, Quinte West and Belleville is “breaking some important new ground” according to Greg Baeker.

The cultural plan being developed by the three municipalities is the first regional cultural plan in the province, Baeker said last week in Madoc.

The consultant made the comments during the third of three forums held to engage community residents, partners and stakeholders in the process of identifying the community’s cultural resources and assets.

“Most of the cultural plans have been done for individual municipalities, but this is the first time that three municipalities have come together, acknowledging that there is an advantage in a regional approach,” said Baeker, director of cultural development for Miller Dickinson Blais, the consulting firm hired to help develop the cultural plan. “So we’re quite excited about doing it, and proud of breaking some new ground.”

Hastings County, Belleville and Quinte West are all funding the development of the cultural plan, with the help of a $10,000 grant from the Community Futures Development Corporation and $37,000 from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture’s Creative Communications Prosperity Fund, said Hastings County economic development manager Andrew Redden.

The development of a cultural plan is an integral component of the county’s economic development action plan, Redden told about 30 forum participants gathered at Arts Centre Hastings.

More than 100 people attended the forums in Belleville, Quinte West and Madoc, more than 100 community surveys have been filled out and 40 interviews have been completed to gather public comment about the region’s cultural needs and opportunities.

The cultural plan is about drawing together the “patchwork quilt of really cool, unique” cultural assets from across the county, creating “a sort of clearing house” of creativity and culture, Redden said. It’s also about bringing more creative people to the area and “enhancing and promoting our culture.”

Baeker said more and more municipalities are taking culture seriously, realizing it is a driver of economic development. The traditional economic development view has been that people and jobs will follow new industries and businesses to a community, he said. “But now we actually know that it is quite the reverse. If we build communities in which people want to live, then business and investment will follow people. So having a rich quality of life, including culture, is not just a nice thing to have, it is actually increasingly one of the most important economic assets a community can have.”

Research has also discovered that people travel to other communities not necessarily for specific events, but to experience the overall uniqueness of a community, Baeker said. “Culture has everything to do with defining what’s unique in your community,” he said, stressing that part of the objective of the cultural plan is to identify all the cultural organizations, businesses, festivals and events, natural heritage resources, facilities, creative occupations, customs, traditions and stories that give the community its unique identity.

Sometimes this involves creating “a new mindset” to get people to shift away from narrow definitions of culture, Baeker said. “It’s shifting perspectives, and getting a new paradigm about what we mean by culture. And it’s building networks and relationships so there’s more capacity to do things and achieve outcomes.”

Following the community engagement phase of the project the cultural plan steering committee and consultants will put together “a summary report to ensure we’re on the right track,” Baeker said. Draft cultural and implementation plans will then be presented to stakeholders, and the steering committee will review the final draft plan before making presentations to county and city councils.

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

The special bell-equipped balls used for the game played by the visually impaired are being provided by Kemptville-based Targe Innovations (www.targe.ca) run by husband and wife team Jeff and Dawna Christy.

Global sales of the Evolve Equipt Goalball have gone through the roof since it became known that the ball would be used at the Paralympics.

“We’ve moved to 24-hour around-the-clock production,” says Dawna Christy. “All of the competing countries want to train with the equipment used in the games.”

Launched in 2005, Targe Innovations was a natural extension for Jeff Christy, a five-time paralympian and elite goalball champion.

Targe’s mission is to improve lives through sport and wellness. It sells therapeutic, sport, and educational products and focuses on developing equipment for paralympic athletes.

The company also sells a goalball adaptive physical education kit to teach non-visually impaired people what it’s like to be blind.  It includes a goalball, six pairs of eyeshades that simulate blindness, and high-contrast floor tape.

Targe is marketing the kit to school boards as a fun way to teach young people about blindness and in hopes of introducing an inclusive sport that can be played by the sighted (wearing eyeshades) and the visually impaired together.

To promote their business online, the Christys started an online marketing business called Excelwith Marketing (www.excelwith.com), which exists to serve Targe but also services other clients. The company primarily helps organizations improve their search engine listings.

Teri Devine, Economic Development Coordinator for the Municipality of North Grenville, says the Christys have huge support from the local community.

“The people of North Grenville are proud to have such innovative creative economy entrepreneurs in our community,” Devine says. “It’s great to have two such exciting companies in our midst, one of which has the potential to hugely impact people’s lives around the world.”

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Using his computer to create special effects and enlisting the help of friends around his home in Elgin, the Star Wars fanatic spent just $300 to make a Star Wars fan film that he entered into the 2010 Star Wars Fan Film contest run by LucasArts.

The film, entitled Origins II: The Rising, won awards for its visual effects and soundtrack and caught the attention of Spielberg who made a personal phone call to Parish.

“The exact words would be ‘Never let anyone change what you’re doing, do it your way, and stay creative because that’s what Hollywood needs’,” Parish told Global Television.

Parish wasn’t the only one praised by the famous producer and executive producer of dozens of blockbusters, including E.T., Men in Black, and Back to the Future. Parish’s friend Sarah Long, an actress in Origins II, received a letter from Spielberg saying that she is “something special” and that she is one of the most talented actresses he’s seen in a long time. Star Wars writer-producer George Lucas also wrote Long to praise her, Global reported.

It’s not the first attention Parish Productions has received. It won awards earlier this year from the University of Toronto Student Film Festival and, in September, it was nominated for best feature at the Philadelphia Film & Animation Festival. Long and fellow Origins II actor Matthew Schliesmann have also won acting awards.

Origins II, which is 52 minutes long, is set some 100,000 years before the stories of the LucasArts Star Wars films and before people travelled across galaxies. It describes how the Force became split between Dark and Light.

Deanna Clark, Economic Development Officer for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, says Parish is a significant and celebrated artist in the community.

“Parish Productions is the epitome of what the Creative Economy is all about,” says Clark.

Parish, who started filmmaking while recovering from an athletic injury, is excited about where his new celebrity status and his passion for filmmaking and Star Wars may take him.

“Who knows what doors have opened because of this,” Parish told Global.

At the time of initial publication, the word was that he was working on his third Star Wars fan film, Origins III: Destiny.

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

Indeed, the community, situated in scenic Hastings County, is home to Mindful Journey (www.mindfuljourney.ca), a business specializing in meditation, relaxation, weight management, and helping people harness the power of thought.

The business is owned by Janice Chrysler. She is a certified hypnotherapist, a five- year Reiki master, a spiritual coach and motivational speaker and an appointed clergy who is licensed to marry and baptize in the province of Ontario.

Andrew Redden, Economic Development Manager for the County of Hastings, says Chrysler’s business is an excellent example of a creative enterprise thriving in a rural economy.

“Janice is creative in the way that she offers healing through hypnosis, meditation and other unique methods,” Redden says.

Mindful Journey opened in 2010 and since then Chrysler has spread the use of meditation in her community. She has also spread her belief that the mind, body, and spirit are all connected.

Chrysler has made it her mission to teach others what she has learned to help them to find their own paths, achieve their own dreams, and discover inner peace.

Word is spreading and Mindful Journey is becoming popular among people who are interested in meditation, relaxation, weight management, and the power of thought.

She combines the techniques of hypnosis and Reiki and teaches many workshops and seminars on subjects such as weight management, the power of thought, meditation, Reiki, aromatherapy, oracle card reading, past life regression, and hypnosis.

She has also recently produced meditation and hypnosis CDs, which have received a warm welcome from the public.

Chrysler is a contributing writer for Vivid Life and Om-Times online magazines.

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.

In 2006, three employees of SGS Lakefield Research took a big leap of faith and bought out the environmental consulting arm of their company.

They started Cambium Environmental (cambium-env.com) with about a dozen people and began providing lab analysis and environmental consulting services to Eastern Ontario governments, corporations, and individuals.

“Since that time we’ve doubled in size and we’re still slated to grow,” says president John Desbiens, who co-founded Cambium with senior project managers David Bucholtz and Jim Bailey. Bucholtz focuses on waste management while Bailey is an environmental engineer.

Cambium has grown from the approximately 12 employees to 24 people and it recently moved into a new facility twice the size of the original.

“We had to move locations if we were to grow and we were packing people in too tightly,” says Desbiens.

Much of Cambium’s success comes from the vitality of its youthful workforce and the small-company feel that is fostered there, he says.

Indeed, Environmental Careers Organization Canada last year named Cambium as an employer of the year finalist among the country’s small- and medium-sized environmental enterprises.

The company employs staff ranging from engineers, hydrogeologists, and geographic information systems specialists to community development experts and technologists and technicians. Most have been recruited or educated locally at either Trent University or Fleming College in Peterborough.

Cambium helps organizations to meet regulatory standards and obtain permits, but it also provides many other environmental services in municipal environmental management, community development, and the aggregate sector.

Chantelle Held, rural development officer for the Greater Peterborough
Economic Development Corporation, says Cambium is one of the region’s most exciting success stories.

“It’s fantastic to see Cambium grow so steadily and to know that this company is creating so many sophisticated creative-economy jobs,” Held says.

©2012 Creative Communities Hub. All Rights Reserved.