Body: Planning Committee Type: Document Meeting: Committee Date: 2024 Collection: Agenda Attachments Municipality: Frontenac County
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/frontenac-county/Item Attachments/Agenda Item/2024/April/2024-038 Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Draft Update to the Charter for Economic Development Please Note: The Charter/Charter for Economic Development Draft Update.pdf)
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C O U N T Y O F F R O N T E N AC
CHARTER FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 2024
OUR PLEDGE In Frontenac, we understand that a thriving economy is the backbone of vibrant, resilient communities. It is essential for the well-being, happiness, and fulfillment of our residents and provides stability for our citizens, businesses, organizations, and local government. We recognize the interconnection of our economic vitality with the quality of life and the environmental sustainability of our region. To enhance and grow our economy, we commit to fostering collaboration at every level, uniting our efforts to conceive, support, implement, and evaluate the initiatives we lead or participate in. Our collective actions are underpinned by a shared vision of an economy that reflects the unique essence of Frontenac—welcoming, natural, healthy, clean, peaceful, entrepreneurial, and distinctly rural. Our approach to economic development is deeply rooted in the spirit of Frontenac, harnessing our community’s inherent diversity, creativity, and commitment to mutual care and environmental stewardship. It encompasses four key areas of focus: Economic Infrastructure: Enhancing infrastructure for economic activities, broadband access, and enhanced quality of life. Housing: Establishing conditions for a diverse residential landscape to attract skilled professionals and increase development potential. Food & Beverage: Creating strategies to increase culinary experiences, support for local food, and economic opportunities for food production. Tourism: Leveraging our natural assets, tourism drives economic growth, recreation, and business opportunities.
County of Frontenac | Charter for Economic Development — 2024
Success lies in our ability to collaborate on the initiatives developed through the themes of this Charter, ensuring they resonate with the character of Frontenac and its people. Our strategies will emphasize sustainable practices, support local, enhance tourism, and nurture an environment where businesses and community projects thrive through mutual support and shared goals. Together, we pledge to build an economy that not only sustains but enriches our way of life, making Frontenac an even more attractive place to live, work, and visit. By doing so, we ensure the longevity and prosperity of our communities, embodying the values that make Frontenac County uniquely Frontenac.
Understanding the Charter’s Success Indicators The success indicators included in the Charter for Economic Development have been set to reflect the broad, long-term impacts of economic development efforts undertaken by the County and its partners. These indicators provide a holistic view of our community’s economic health, beyond activities undertaken by the County alone. These will be updated as part of the County’s regular strategic planning cycle to support updates to future Charters.
ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE Investing in Economic Infrastructure establishes resilient business environment by fostering economic activities led by local businesses. Frontenac County can provide a supportive foundation to the local economy by implementing communal services and ensuring broadband access is available throughout the community. Recognizing the critical role of infrastructure for businesses and residents, Frontenac County seeks to meet evolving needs, enhance quality of life, and align with economic trends, crucial for attracting and retaining talent, businesses, and residents.
Objectives Facilitate Small-Scale Economic Activities Establish policies and programs to encourage small-scale commercial and industrial activities, particularly in high-traffic corridors and settlement areas.
Community Health and Wellbeing Participate in partnerships to enhance community health and wellbeing, fostering the development and preservation of vital services, such as local family health clinics.
Communal Services Support the implementation of communal services and foster development interest in shared solutions to meet the diverse needs of businesses and residents.
Grow and Maintain Business Community in Frontenac County With a lack of business associations in Frontenac, the County should create opportunities for business connections and partnerships.
Broadband Access for All Monitor progress on projects to enable highspeed internet infrastructure throughout Frontenac County.
Success Indicators Industrial Land and Commercial Space Growth Track the growth of available and used industrial lands (acres) and commercial space (ft 2 ). Broadband and Cellular Coverage Increase Track the percentage increase in broadband and cellular coverage. Remote Workers Increase Quantify the increase in the number of remote workers. Broadband Access for Businesses and Homes Track progress regarding the number of businesses and homes with access to broadband. County of Frontenac | Charter for Economic Development — 2024
Communal Services Expansion Assess the increased number of new water and wastewater services using communal services. Track number of and percentage of residential and commercial units using communal service in the County. Ambassador Program Quantify the increase of business ambassadors in Frontenac County and track engagement during networking events and workshops.
HOUSING Recognizing housing as a fundamental driver for community and business development, Frontenac County seeks to create a diverse and vibrant residential mix in our community. This can be done by establishing supportive regulations, improving infrastructure, and engaging with developers. Success will result in the attraction of a diverse population across many demographics. Tailoring options to middle-income households is crucial for attracting skilled professionals and families to Frontenac, which is essential for sustained economic growth.
Objectives Holistic Development Support Establish a regulatory framework and infrastructure conducive to diverse residential developments across Frontenac County. Strategic Collaboration with Developers Develop marketing materials and execute an outreach campaign to foster collaboration with residential developers, promoting planned development sites.
Diversity in Residential Options Establish regulations supporting various residential structures, appealing to the broader development community and contributing to a more diverse population base. Tailored Housing Options Recognize and prioritize the housing needs of middle-income households to attract high-skilled professionals and working families.
Affordability and Attraction Programs Implement programs to enhance housing affordability and actively attract permanent residents to Frontenac County.
Success Indicators Residential Dwellings Increase Track growth in the overall number of residential dwellings within the County.
Planned Subdivision Developments Track the increase in the number of planned subdivision developments within the County.
Population Base Increase Quantify the increase in the population base within the County, both permanent and seasonal.
Commercial Properties/Lands Availability Evaluate the supply of commercial properties/ lands for sale or lease.
Various Housing Options Increase Quantify growth in the number of various housing options.
County of Frontenac | Charter for Economic Development — 2024
FOOD & BEVERAGE In Frontenac County, the Food and Beverage sector is dedicated to enhancing the culinary landscape by supporting the local food ecosystem and encouraging additional spending by visitors to the region. This focus aims to enrich culinary tourism by expanding and diversifying culinary experiences. Over the past decade, Frontenac County has also seen an increase of food processors. Through the development policies and programs to support value-added production, Frontenac County can foster economic growth, promote business expansion, and position local establishments as community hubs. This strategy not only supports the demographic trend towards localized food sources but also contributes to the county’s allure as a center for culinary excellence.
Objectives Local Food Ecosystem Support Provide support to producers and processors creating food products in Frontenac County. Expansion of Food Processing Support the scaling of food processing activities, emphasizing export opportunities. Value-Added Production Ensure availability of appropriate food processing infrastructure to facilitate value-added production from farm-based commodities.
Culinary Tourism Development Increase culinary experiences throughout Frontenac County, establishing the region as a sought-after culinary destination. Culinary Diversity Promote a diverse selection of culinary experiences, utilizing restaurants and food establishments as community gathering spaces, fostering economic growth, and supporting local businesses. Small Scale Agriculture Establish Frontenac County as a destination for small scale, local agriculture and strengthen community support for local farms.
Success Indicators Increased Culinary Experiences Track growth in restaurants, food stands, events, and retail operations. Assess customer satisfaction through surveys. Growth in Value-Added Agriculture Quantify expansion of value-added agriculture, agri-business, specialty products, and artisan foods. Monitor diversity of agricultural products and processing methods in Frontenac County. Transition of Early Food Ventures Track early food ventures transitioning to commercial or retail environments. Assess success and sustainability through follow-up surveys or case studies. County of Frontenac | Charter for Economic Development — 2024
Emergence of Breweries, Distilleries, and Wineries Monitor establishment and growth of these establishments. Assess economic impact and community engagement. Business Success Rate Evaluate overall change in success rate of food and beverage businesses. Analyze factors like customer feedback, innovation, and community engagement. Participation in Open Farms Days Track number of farms and number of consumers who participate in Open Farms Days events. Capture economic impact of Open Farms Days.
TOURISM Tourism development in Frontenac County’s focuses on developing its rich natural assets into a cohesive destination, highlighted by Frontenac County’s Destination Development Plan. This includes creating interconnected tourism trails that weave together recreational, culinary, and cultural experiences and creating policies and programs to promote businesses along Frontenac County’s lakes and trails. This will enhance ease of access and encourage year-round visitation. Safe links between communities will boost recreation, active transportation, and tourism, stimulating economic growth within our communities and diversifying attractions along the connecting links, thereby reinforcing Frontenac’s status as a vibrant, four-season destination.
Objectives Destination Development Implement the Frontenac Regional Destination Development Plan, unifying exploration via the regional trail network and establishing signature attractions. Tourism Trails Establish “tourism trails” connecting varied recreational experiences, culinary offerings, and creative pursuits as recommended by the Destination Development Plan.
Business Integration Develop policies and promote businesses near lakes and trails, fostering increased network usage and attracting complementary services. Year-round Appeal Promote four-season utilization of lakes and trails, supporting business retention and diversifying tourist attractions. Community Links Create safe connection between communities in Frontenac County for recreation, active transportation, and tourism, stimulating business growth and contributing to assessment growth.
Success Indicators Increased Partnerships and Collaboration Count established tourism packages. Increased Year-round Tourism Quantify growth in year-round tourism visits and spending. Evaluate diverse activities attracting visitors for comprehensive year-round appeal. Visitor Activity Impacting Local Spending Measure correlation between increased visitor activity and rise in local spending. Assess economic impact on local businesses and community by tracking growth in services and job opportunities.
County of Frontenac | Charter for Economic Development — 2024
Trail Use Utilize technology to track use of the trails network. Assess user demographics and preferences for targeted marketing strategies. Lake Use Establish tracking measures for recreational lake use. Monitor environmental impact and sustainability practices related to increased presence of tourists on lakes.
DEMOGRAPHIC INSIGHTS Youth and Young Professionals Youth and young professionals are identified as the backbone of the future economic landscape of Frontenac County, vital for the tourism sector and the succession planning of existing businesses. They are in pursuit of career opportunities that resonate with their personal, professional, and social aspirations while being actively involved in sustainable practices, environmental conservation, and renewable energy efforts. To retain and attract this demographic, Frontenac County must present itself as an appealing environment for future leaders. As more businesses adopt automation and online sales, there will be a growing need for an educated and tech-savvy workforce. The overall lower cost of housing in Frontenac County, when compared to larger urban environments makes homeownership attainable in Frontenac for this demographic, especially with modern and diverse housing solutions in place.
Families and Children Families, especially those involved in family-owned businesses within the lakes, trails, and agrifood sectors, form an integral part of Frontenac County’s community and economy. They contribute significantly to the local labour pool, particularly within tourism businesses, drawn to the area for its affordability and the natural beauty that offers abundant recreational opportunities. These families create demand for local food and beverage options and seek reliable transportation networks for daily activities such as work, school, and recreation. Additionally, the global shift towards work-fromhome arrangements has underscored the need for family wage-earners to participate in economic activities remotely, supported by stable broadband internet and telecommunications infrastructure. To meet these needs, housing solutions tailored to middle-income families are deemed essential. County of Frontenac | Charter for Economic Development — 2024
Seniors Frontenac County is seen as an attractive retirement destination, and as of 2021, 45% of the County’s population consists of persons over the age of 55. To support an aging population, there is demand for improved transportation options, convenient and accessible healthcare, and reliable mobile phone and broadband connectivity. Initiatives like community rideshare programs and rural transit links could significantly improve mobility. Moreover, providing accessible outdoor seating, eye-level parking signage, collaborating with health service providers for rural supportive housing and long-term care facilities, and ensuring options for independent living are pivotal in reinforcing seniors’ connection to the community. Developing multi-unit housing that is both affordable and accessible for seniors and people with disabilities is also highlighted as an important objective.
