Body: Planning Committee Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: November 27, 2025 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, November 27, 2025 –10:00 a.m. Council Chamber, County of Frontenac Administration Building, 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie, ON https://youtube.com/live/mECimn-1GZE?feature=share
AGENDA Page 1.
Call to Order We begin this gathering by acknowledging and celebrating these traditional lands as a gathering place of the first peoples and their ancestors who are entrusted to care for mother earth since time immemorial. We do so respecting both the land and the Indigenous People who continue to walk with us through this world. Today, the County is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.
Adoption of the Agenda a) That the agenda for the November 27, 2025 meeting of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee be adopted.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
Adoption of Minutes a) Minutes of Meeting held October 23, 2025
4-7
That the minutes of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting held 27 Nov 2025 be adopted. Minutes of Meeting held October 23, 2025 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations a) Jim Knapp, Director, District 1 West, Ontario Federation of All Terrain Vehicles and President of the Frontenac ATV Club will provide the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee with a yearend report on how the Frontenac ATV Club performed this past riding season, being its first year with required Permits.
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Page 6.
Briefings a) Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided the Planning Advisory Committee with the planning briefing Directors Briefing
Reports to the Planning Advisory Committee a) 2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized off-road trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization
8 - 18
19 - 25
Be It Resolved That staff be authorized to enter into a three year memorandum of understanding with the Frontenac ATV Club (OFATV Affiliate) and the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance for non-exclusive use of the K&P Trail under the existing terms and conditions. K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized off-road trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization 26 - 36
b)
2025-090 Planning and Economic Development Open Farms 2025 and Support for Food and Agriculture Be it Resolved That the Planning and Economic Development Committee recommend to County Council that the Open Farms event be suspended for the foreseeable future; And Further That the Planning and Economic Development Committee recommend to County Council staff and financial resources used for coordinating and hosting the Open Farms event be redeployed for supporting the food and agriculture sector through a variety of initiatives, including:
- Strategic Partnerships
- Increased Support for Farmers Markets
- Continued Support for Plowing Matches
- Improved Farm, Food & Beverage Information on County Websites
- Farm to Fork Connection Building Open Farms 2025 and Support for Food and Agriculture
37 - 39
c)
2025-091 Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Update to the Frontenac Business Directory This report is provided to the committee for information purposes only Update to the Frontenac Business Directory
Communications
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Page 9.
Other Business
Next Meeting a) The next meeting of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, January 29, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Chamber of the County Administration Building.
Adjournment
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Minutes of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Meeting October 23, 2025 [Note: Minutes are not Verbatim, please refer to full video at https://youtube.com/live/jnNIyTMYtyc?feature=share] A meeting of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee was held in the Council Chamber at the County Administrative Office, 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie on Thursday, October 23, 2025 and was called to order at 10:00 AM Present: Councillor Judy Greenwood-Speers, Chair Councillor Ron Vandewal, Vice Chair Councillor Fred Fowler Councillor Fran Smith Leona Fleischmann Regrets: Mike Hage Phil Leonard Jim McIntosh Staff Present: Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk Sonya Bolton, Manager of Community Planning Kevin Farrell, Chief Administrative Officer Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development 1.
Call to Order
We begin this gathering by acknowledging and celebrating these traditional lands as a gathering place of the first peoples and their ancestors who are entrusted to care for mother earth since time immemorial. We do so respecting both the land and the Indigenous People who continue to walk with us through this world. Today, the County is committed to working with Indigenous peoples and all residents to pursue a united path of reconciliation.
Minutes of Meeting held October 23, 2025
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2.
Adoption of the Agenda
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Smith Councillor Vandewal
That the agenda for the October 23, 2025 meeting of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee be adopted. Carried 3.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were none. 4.
Adoption of Minutes a)
Minutes of Meeting held September 25, 2025
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Fowler Ms. Fleischmann
That the minutes of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee meeting held September 25, 2025 be adopted. Carried 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations a)
Mr. Steve Leonard addressed the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee regarding the Township of South Frontenac Official Plan, a copy of which was attached to the agenda. He is asking that the zoning related to his property be left as is.
Briefings
Reports to the Planning Advisory Committee
a)
Staff Briefing: Ms. Sonya Bolton provided the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee a briefing on the Township of South Frontenac Official Plan and responded to questions on same. A copy of the presentation is attached to the record in the Clerk’s Office.
Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes October 23, 2025
Minutes of Meeting held October 23, 2025
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a)
2025-081 Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee New Official Plan of the Township of South Frontenac (adopted May 20, 2025) – County Modifications
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Smith Councillor Vandewal
Be It Resolved That the County of Frontenac Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee recommends to County Council: That in accordance with Section 17(34) of the Planning Act, R.S.O. Chapter P.13, The Corporation of the County of Frontenac hereby approves the Official Plan of the Township of South Frontenac, attached to Report 2025-081 as Attachment 1, as it was adopted on May 20, 2025, by Township By-Law Number 2025041,(including Maps A through I and Appendices A through E) with the modifications listed in Attachment 2 to Report 2025-081. Carried b)
2025-082 Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee K&P TRAIL – Draft Bench Dedication Policy
This report was for information and was intended to continue soliciting feedback from the Committee members on the draft bench dedication policy The issue of renewal fees was discussed with some pointing to the fact that renewal options create staff work, and others noting that benches themselves have a life cycle so renewal options would work. In terms of questions around vandalism, it was noted that the Township of South Frontenac has not experience much of that. Regarding options for material, using a composite may last longer, however heats up in the summer. It was asked if advertisement on benches might be an option as a form of revenue generation, given there is a lack of knowledge about what is available along the trail and advertising would fix this. Some expressed that the trail is intended to be a natural environment and allowing advertising distracts from that. Mr. Allen noted that this policy is specific to dedication of events. The County does have a signage program for local business where they can have signs as well as advertising in our trail maps. It was noted that there should be a plan of where amenities, including benches, are mapped out as to where they are needed along the trail and could be sponsored by businesses as a revenue source. Mr. Allen stated that staff can gather public input from both the public and the business community.
Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes October 23, 2025
Minutes of Meeting held October 23, 2025
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c)
2025-083 Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee K&P TRAIL – 2025 Trail User Survey Results
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Fowler Ms. Fleischmann
That the County of Frontenac Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee receive the 2025 K&P Trail User Survey Results; and Further That the results of the 2025 K&P Trail User survey be considered as part of the upcoming review of the Frontenac K&P Trail Management Plan. Carried 8.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting a)
The next meeting of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, November 27, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at the County Administration Building. Adjournment
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Vandewal Councillor Smith
That the meeting hereby adjourn at 10:53 a.m. Carried
Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes October 23, 2025
Minutes of Meeting held October 23, 2025
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Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…Page 8 of 39
Director’s Briefing Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee November 27th, 2025
Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…Page 9 of 39
Natural Heritage Study RFP
• 10 submissions received • Interviews held November 25 th • Consulting team expected to be hired by early December.
Page 10 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Communal Services – Queen’s Park
Page 11 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
South Frontenac Official Plan Approved by County Council
Page 12 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Township Planning Projects • 2025 Applications – 120 to date o 2024 – 94 (28% more in 2025)
• Lafolia Lane (NF) o 410 hours staff time o Application denied by NF Council November 21
Page 13 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Annual Business Retreat October 21st – RKY Camp (Eagle Lake) • 51 in attendance • Lunch catered by Rampant Kitchen • Presentations from various business support organizations • Focus on experiences – with hands on workshops led by local businesses • Cheese Tasting - Back 40 Artisan Cheese • Broom Making - Maple Ridge Farm • Forest Bathing - The Wild Edge
Page 14 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Annual Business Awards November 19, Piccadilly Hall 2025 Winners: Business of the Year K&P Brewery New Business Rampant Kitchen Partnership & Collaboration The Rise Farm Innovation in Sustainability Parallel Studios Women-Led Business Allison Montgomery of Back to Health
Antoine Creek Bridge Replacement – Completed
Page 15 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
K&P Trail
Page 16 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Municipal Accommodation Tax Feasibility - Engagements • In person Open Houses were hosted in Marysville, Verona, Plevna and Sharbot Lake on October 29 & 30. • Virtual Open House took place on November 13. • Survey was available for input from September 22 to November 16. • Next Steps: Report will be prepared for Committee review in the New Year.
Page 17 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Economic Development
Recruitment Starting – Community Development Officer
3 Year Contract Position Will be involved in a variety of Economic Development Projects Please Share with your networks Advertisements will be on Social Media Job Posting will be available on the careers page at frontenccounty.ca by November 28, and the competition will close on December 16.
Page 18 of 39 Mr. Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development provided…
Questions ?
Report 2025-089 Committee Recommend Report To:
Planning & Economic Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Prepared by:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
November 27, 2025
Re:
Planning and Economic Development – K&P Trail – 2025 Review - Requirement for all motorized off-road trail users to hold a membership with a Partner
Recommendation Be It Resolved That staff be authorized to enter into a three year memorandum of understanding with the Frontenac ATV Club (OFATV Affiliate) and the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance for non-exclusive use of the K&P Trail under the existing terms and conditions. Background The purpose of this report is to provide the Planning & Economic Development Committee with an overview of the outcomes associated with the requirement for summer motorized trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization. The report summarizes operational, economic, and community benefits realized during 2025, the first year this requirement was in effect for ATV’s, Side-bySides and similar motorized recreational vehicles. At its regular meeting on January 15, 2025, County Council approved the following resolution, being Recommend Reports from the Chief Administrative Officer, clause a):
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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Recommend Reports from the Chief Administrative Officer a)
2024-119 K&P Trail Requirement for all motorized off-road trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization *Note: This item was postponed at the November 20, 2024 County Council meeting pending staff investigate and report back to Council the possibility of the County issuing permits as well as including an EOTA agreement and the price of user fees. [See Information Reports from the Chief Administrative Officer, clause a)]
Motion #: 43-25
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Leonard Councillor Gowdy
Be It Resolved That staff be directed to amend Bylaw No. 2022-0033 as follows: That Section 7 – Regulations regarding motorized vehicle use on the K&P Trail be amended to add a new 7.3 as follows: 7.3
No person shall permit any motorized vehicle noted in Section 5 i and ii, to enter upon or utilize the Trail unless that person is registered with an authorized partner organization as noted in Schedule 2;
That Section 7 be re-numbered accordingly; That a new Schedule 2, Authorized Partner Organizations be added, to include the Frontenac ATV Club, the L&A Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club, and the Snow Road Snowmobile Club and the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance. And Further That the Warden and Clerk be authorized to complete a revised memorandum of understanding with the Frontenac ATV Club for non-exclusive use of the K&P Trail that outlines the following:
- The requirement for all motorized trail users to be licensed and insured.
- The 2025 minimum contribution commitment of $15,000 towards trail maintenance.
- The requirement for all motorized off-road recreational vehicles using the K&P Trail to have proof of membership, such as a permit or pass, with the Frontenac ATV Club or with another authorized partner organization. And Further That staff present a Memorandum of Understanding to, and if successful, that the Warden and Clerk be authorized to enter into an agreement with, the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance (EOTA) for non-exclusive use of the K&P Trail that outlines the following:
- The requirement for all motorized trail users to be licensed and insured. Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized offroad trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization – 2025 Review November 27, 2025 Page 2 of 7
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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2. The 2025 minimum contribution commitment of $15,000 towards trail maintenance. 3. The requirement for all motorized off-road recreational vehicles using the K&P Trail to have proof of membership, such as a permit or pass, with the EOTA or with another authorized partner organization. And Further That the K&P Trail Management Plan be updated to reflect the changes outlined in this report. Carried At that same meeting Council passed By-law 2025-003, being a by-law To amend Bylaw No. 2022-0033 to require that all motorized off-road vehicles using the K&P Trail be registered with an authorized partner organization. This change of policy was designed to strengthen operational cost recovery, improve user accountability, and align Frontenac County with regional practices, as most motorized multi-use trails in Eastern Ontario already require a permit or club membership. The 2025 season was the first year in which the County undertook a comprehensive review of the full value of these contributions under the new policy direction. The membership requirement was introduced to advance several objectives: •
Establishing predictable annual financial contributions to support maintenance of the 59 kilometres of trail accessible to ATVs and side-by-sides.
•
Enhancing safety through licensing, insurance requirements, and a formal warden presence.
•
Supporting responsible, informed trail use through club education and oversight.
•
Strengthening collaboration with regional organizations, including the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance (EOTA) and the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs (OFATV).
•
Supporting economic development by fostering trail-based tourism and organized events.
The Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance and the Frontenac ATV Club benefit from this requirement through increased membership and the ability to include the K&P Trail as part of the marketing for their respective trail networks. 2025 Outcomes Frontenac County has worked in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance on a number of initiatives since starting the development of the Frontenac K&P Trail. The Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance actively manages a network of trails in Ontario, with a significant network connected to the K&P Trail via the Tay Havelock Trail in Sharbot Lake.
Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized offroad trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization – 2025 Review November 27, 2025 Page 3 of 7
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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The Frontenac ATV Club is an Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs (OFATV) affiliate. The OFATV is a federation of local clubs located throughout Ontario. These clubs are active in their communities, and in some cases manage their own Trail networks. The Frontenac ATV Club has been an active partner supporting maintenance and stewardship on the K&P Trail since 2019. For several years, the Club has provided portable washrooms, waste management, bicycle repair stations, financial contributions, and a trained volunteer presence through its Trail Warden program. Event Participation and Trail Use The Frontenac ATV Club hosted 18 rides using the Frontenac K&P Trail in 2025, attracting 801 riders throughout the season. Participants travelled from across Ontario, including London, Ottawa, Cornwall, Arnprior, Ajax, Mississauga, Vaughan, Brockville, Carleton Place, Smiths Falls and Kingston. These rides consistently brought new visitors into Frontenac County, generating spending on food, fuel, supplies, and overnight accommodations. These activities demonstrate that the K&P Trail continues to evolve as a driver of rural tourism and local economic activity. Trail Safety and Emergency Preparedness Trail safety improved notably in 2025 as a result of the Club’s trained volunteer presence: •
All 18 Trail Wardens are certified in Emergency Rescue First Aid, CPR, and AED operation.
•
The Club owns two AED units, which accompany all sanctioned rides and are available on the trail during warden patrols.
•
All Trail Wardens and Trails Maintenance Team at the Frontenac ATV Club members have completed chainsaw safety training, enabling safe and timely clearing of downed trees and limbs.
Operational Contributions and Trail Stewardship The agreements with both the Frontenac ATV Club and the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance a ensure minimum annual contribution of $15,000 from each organization is made each year. Both organizations are on track to fulfill this requirement in 2025. In addition, the agreement with the Frontenac ATV Club provides an additional $32.50 for every club membership sold in excess of 300. To date, the County has received $11,473 in additional general recoveries from the Frontenac ATV Club in 2025 due to an increase of 353 club memberships. An additional $1,300 is expected prior to the end of the year. In addition to the general recoveries outlined in the, the Frontenac ATV Club has also made a $5,000 capital contribution towards the replacement of the Antoine Creek Bridge. The Frontenac ATV Club continues to play a substantial role supporting the County in day-to-day trail stewardship, services and basic maintenance through the Trail Warden Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized offroad trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization – 2025 Review November 27, 2025 Page 4 of 7
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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Program. This program consists of 18 trained volunteers who patrol the K&P Trail every weekend from May to November, improving visitor experience and reducing the need for County staff to conduct frequent patrols. These patrols are valued at over $30,000 in volunteer hours and reduce the need for regular patrols by County staff. In addition to direct financial contributions from partner organizations, the County has benefitted from in-kind contributions and services provided by the volunteers active with these organizations. Partner Frontenac ATV Club Frontenac ATV Club Frontenac ATV Club Frontenac ATV Club Frontenac ATV Club
Benefit Temporary Washrooms, April to November: Verona Trailhead & Fish Creek Road Garbage & Recycling Pick-up: Verona Trailhead
Value $2,800.00
Redecking 4 Bridges: Sharbot Lake, Robertsville, Mississippi Station (2 bridges) Removal of downed trees and brush, April to November Removal of Dead Tree: Arborist with Boom Truck & 6 men
$900.00 $8,200.00 $15,200.00 $10,500.00
As outlined above, these partnerships have resulted in over $41,473 in operational recoveries from the Frontenac ATV Club and the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance in 2025 supporting trail maintenance activities including brushing, grading and dust suppression. Membership Requirement Early in the season, when the membership requirements were new the county received some critical comments about the requirement. While these concerns were primarily related to additional cost for something funded by the local municipalities, the compliance rate was very high – only a few motorized trail visitors were encountered without a proof of membership, and for the most part, they were simply unaware of the requirement. Both organizations provide short term memberships – day passes, or weekly/weekend passes for persons visiting the area for only a short time. There was also some confusion about what benefits are available from each membership. While the K&P Trail permits members of both organizations, the trail network to the east supports only OFATV members, and the trail network to the west primarily only supports permit holders from the EOTA. This is beyond the County’s ability to influence, however, as each trail owner – generally municipalities – make these decisions locally. For this visitor, this can be confusing and potentially expensive if they wish to travel all of the local ATV network trails. Both the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance and the Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs (including the Frontenac ATV Club) support the concept of a “One Pass, One Trail” system to be developed in Ontario. On October 28, 2025 a private members bill sponsored by MPP Steve Clark to have the Province of Ontario work with ATV trail Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized offroad trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization – 2025 Review November 27, 2025 Page 5 of 7
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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organizations to establish a single-permit framework, which is hoped to alleviate this challenge. Summary In summary, the first year of the membership requirement for summer motorized trail users demonstrated clear operational, financial, and community benefits for the K&P Trail. Partnerships with the Frontenac ATV Club and the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance strengthened cost recovery, improved safety through trained volunteer wardens, and supported responsible trail use. The policy generated predictable annual contributions, additional revenue tied to increased memberships, and significant in-kind services that reduced pressure on County resources. These partnerships also contributed to local tourism through wellattended events and increased visitation. Based on these positive outcomes and the continued alignment with regional trail practices, staff recommend entering into a new three-year memorandum of understanding with both organizations under the existing terms and conditions. Charter for Economic Development Alignment The Frontenac K&P Trail is aligned with the Tourism theme of the Charter for Economic Development, specifically the following objective and success indicator: •
Year-round Appeal: Promote four-season utilization of lakes and trails, supporting business retention and diversifying tourist attractions
•
Increased Partnerships and Collaboration
For more information about the Charter for Economic Development, please visit engagefrontenac.ca/charter-for-economic-development Frontenac County Strategic Plan Alignment Goal 2: “Contribute to the Progress of Sustainable Economic Growth and Prosperity Throughout the County” •
Provide business support and resources to existing and prospective businesses.
Financial Implications The new membership requirement for motorized off-road recreational vehicles generated over $41,000 in direct financial recoveries in 2025. In addition, the County received a $5,000 capital contribution toward the Antoine Creek Bridge. Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized offroad trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization – 2025 Review November 27, 2025 Page 6 of 7
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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These funds, along with substantial in-kind services and volunteer support established through the partnership, reduced County operating pressures and provided a more predictable funding base for trail maintenance. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Frontenac ATV Club Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance
Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail – Requirement for all motorized offroad trail users to hold a membership with an authorized partner organization – 2025 Review November 27, 2025 Page 7 of 7
2025-089 Planning and Economic Development K&P Trail – Requirement for a…
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Report 2025-090 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Members of the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
November 27, 2025
Re:
Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture
Recommendation Be it Resolved That the Planning and Economic Development Committee recommend to County Council that the Open Farms event be suspended for the foreseeable future; And Further That the Planning and Economic Development Committee recommend to County Council staff and financial resources used for coordinating and hosting the Open Farms event be redeployed for supporting the food and agriculture sector through a variety of initiatives, including:
- Strategic Partnerships
- Increased Support for Farmers Markets
- Continued Support for Plowing Matches
- Improved Farm, Food & Beverage Information on County Websites
- Farm to Fork Connection Building Background Open Farms began in 2018 as part of the Advancing Economic Development in Frontenac County collaborative project to fulfill the request from South Frontenac Township to support the food and beverage sector. Since then, it has evolved to a regional initiative that includes farms and food businesses from Frontenac Townships and Kingston. The initiative is structured around the following set of goals:
- Educate consumers about small scale agriculture.
- Increase awareness of farms and restaurants that serve local food.
- Provide the opportunity for producers to connect directly with consumers.
- Provide the opportunity for producers to start new long-term relationships with customers, restaurants, and other producers.
2025-090 Planning and Economic Development Open Farms 2025 and Support f…
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5. Grow our region’s reputation as a local food destination, to: a. Create interest among visitors. b. Attract new agricultural operations and food and beverage businesses, c. Drive new opportunities for culinary and agri-tourism product development. The Open Farms Event has been hosted on farms and at businesses in Frontenac County for 8 years. Below are some highlights from each year of Open Farms. •
2018 and 2019 - Were held successfully in-person on farms. In 2019, some participating farms reported being overwhelmed with approximately 1,200 visitors to their site during the one-day event.
•
2020 and 2021- Were adapted because of COVID-19 and public health guidelines. Open Farms 2020 was a virtual event. Open Farms 2021 was a combination of virtual and in-person. The 2021 on farm component was ticketed for the three farms that participated to ensure numbers were manageable and met public health guidelines. A Community Hub in Centennial Park in Harrowsmith was added in 2021 and brought various groups together in one place. The hub was primarily coordinated by the Township of South Frontenac and supported with grant funding.
•
2022 –The event continued to evolve to be a partnership-based approach that allowed for expanded programming, with County staff leadership and coordination. There were seven farms across Frontenac and Kingston that participated. The 2022 event was ticketed, with tickets being facilitated through the partnership between the County and the City of Kingston. There was a total of 195 tickets sold through the ticketing system with some additional tickets sold direct on the farm. The Township of South Frontenac supported locations with event coordination and more specifically offered support to the Frontenac Plowing Match to support growth to be a larger event.
•
2023 - Report 2023-043, The event evolved from one weekend to be a 6-week initiative from September 1 to October 15, with an online event calendar hosting all information in one place. The online event calendar was hosted on a standalone website (www.openfarms.ca) to help support the partnerships. Each location was responsible for event logistics with the central website link connecting to their website and ticketing information. This allowed farms, businesses, and community organizations to participate in a way that worked for their operation.
•
2024 – Report 2025-016 The four partners met with farms, businesses and community organizations to discuss, listen and learn about ideas and plans for 2024. There were no changes to the core goals of the programming format.
•
2025 – Input was requested from the farms, businesses and community organizations to help guide the initiative for 2025.
This report highlights the 2025 Open Farms initiative and describes current successes, challenges and recommendations for support of local food and agriculture. Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
2025-090 Planning and Economic Development Open Farms 2025 and Support f…
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Comment In 2025 there were three organizations that partnered, the partners included the following team members: • • • •
Debbi Miller, County of Frontenac, Jenna Norman, County of Frontenac, Summer Intern, Amanda Pantrey, Township of South Frontenac, Ashley Bradshaw, Tourism Kingston.
There were also three advisors from both the farming and business community that participated in decision making, recruiting for programming and being a point of contact. Below are some highlights from 2025 that outline the initiative, marketing and input from farms, businesses and community organizations. The programming of the initiative changed in 2025 to be a three-day initiative, based on input from the farms, businesses and community organizations that were involved. Open Farms 2025 took place the weekend of September 5, 6 and 7, 2025. The length of the initiative was changed from a 6-week initiative to create more of a festival feel over one weekend. Experiences or events outside of this timeframe were still able to be included on the website, but marketing efforts from the partners were focused on the weekend of September 5, 6 and 7. The type of events and what was being offered was determined by each location that participated, including if the events were ticketed or free drop-in events. Locations were responsible for all aspects of their event, including the logistics, times, dates, costs and ticketing. Each site had complete oversight over the numbers, costs and were able to reconcile their events in a timely fashion by using their own systems. Website OpenFarms.ca was created by a website developer in 2023 and maintained by the Community Development Officer. The website was put in place in 2023, based on discussion with organizational partners. The purpose of this was so that the event, which crosses regional boundaries, content did not have to to be hosted on one partners' website and therefore attributed primarily to that partner. The 2025 updates to the website included content and images across the site. There were no structural changes to the website. From August 1, until September 7, marketing directed to the website raising awareness for Open Farms. Below is an outline of content that was included on the website. • •
2025 - 14 locations hosted events/experiences. o 2024 - 20 locations hosted events/experiences o 2023 - 19 locations hosted events/experiences 2025 - 19 locations were listed under the location section of the website.
Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
2025-090 Planning and Economic Development Open Farms 2025 and Support f…
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o 17 experiences were listed on the website, three offered multiple dates and times. o There were 2 Plowing Matches, Sunday in the Country Feature event and the Food Less Travelled event that were free drop-in events, with no cost to attend. o The food events were all pre-ticketed or included a cost to participate. Below are some website analytics for 2025 and the analytics from 2024. It is important to note that hosting a 3-day event compared to a 6-week event sees online users using the website during a shorter window. August 1 to September 8, 2025 • Total website users – 2025 - 6,600 • Average time on the website 2025 - 1 minute, 3 seconds • Event count (the number of times a user triggered an event) - 2025 – 49,000 • On September 5, the website saw a spike with 1,162 users. July 30 to October 30, 2024 • Total website users - 2024 - 9,800 • Average time on the website - 2024 - 1 minute • Event count (the number of times a user triggered an event) - 2024 - 70,539 Below are some general comments received: • The website did not have many on farm events. • An event that was advertised to be taking place over 3 days did not have many events on the Friday. • The website event listing was hard to find things to do. Proclamation Connecting farming & food in Frontenac & Kingston was declared for September 5, 6 and 7, 2025, by the County of Frontenac, South Frontenac, North Frontenac, Central Frontenac, and Frontenac Islands. The declaration demonstrated the importance of agriculture in our region. It helped to raise the profile of this important industry that impacts the region. On-Farm On Farm experiences has been a focus to encourage farms to host events and welcome visitors to their location. The last couple of years the on-farm experiences have decreased. Farmers Markets The five Frontenac and Kingston markets were included on the website - Frontenac Farmers Market, Sharbot Lake Farmers Market, The Market at Wolfe Island Commons, The Memorial Centre Farmers Market and Kingston Public Market. Special events, and educational programming was organized and hosted by the markets during their regular market times. Three markets hosted additional programming on the Open Farms Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
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weekend. The markets continue to be an area where farms are connecting with customers. Kick Off Event The Kick Off Event for Open Farms was held at the Frontenac Farmers Market in Harrowsmith on September 5 from 3 to 7 p.m. This event was chosen to be the kick-off event as it was on the first day of Open Farms and the markets demonstrate alignment with the values. Farms and vendors were very important to organizers to ensure the connection with farming and food was a focus. It was anticipated approximately 200 people attended the event. During the event there was a draw for prizes from the partners, with over 36 visitors being in the draw. The ribbon cutting was unique with a Limestone Organic Creamery milk cheer, while ringing cow bells. Speeches were held at 4 p.m. from a variety of political officials including: Warden Lichty, MPP John Jordan, MPP Ted Hsu and South Frontenac Mayor Vandewal. The emcee for the event was Frontenac Farmers Market Manager, Tarra Williamson. The five regional farmers markets were invited to attend the event and promote their markets and activities. None of the other markets hosted a table at the Kick Off Event. South Frontenac special event staff supported the kick-off event with the coordination of food and beverage vendors, decorations, lighting, barricades, washrooms, hand washing stations, set up and tear down of the event. The market had live music that added to the ambiance and overall visitor experience. The kick-off event was a true celebration of food, farming, and building community. Plowing Matches There were two plowing matches as part of Open Farms 2025 including: • •
Wolfe Island Plowing Match, September 6 at Morningside Farm on Wolfe Island. The Frontenac County Plowing Match, September 7, was in South Frontenac at the Knapp Farm. This Plowing Match also served as the host site for the Sunday in the Country Featured Event, coordinated by South Frontenac Township. o 22 competitors were at the match, including 2 horse teams. There were food vendors, live music, kids’ activities, and tractor rides with an educational component included. o A vendor’s market was hosted at this year’s Plowing Match as a part of the Sunday in the Country Featured Event. The market was very successful with over 30 local farm and artisan vendors participating. Most vendors reported great to moderate sales, with several reporting excellent or record-breaking market sales. o Chef Demonstration – Chef Elisa from Rampant Kitchen, a new catering business in South Frontenac, hosted a hands-on demonstration at the event. The goal was to educate visitors about affordable, quick, and
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practical ways to use local ingredients. Chef Elisa created healthy snacks by peeling and coring apples (purchased from Waddell Apples) and sprinkling a cinnamon and brown sugar mix on the apples. The demonstration was very well received by visitors. Unfortunately, it did attract a large number of bees and needed to be dismantled early. o Educational components continued to be included. Speakers were on the wagon rides to share information about what was happening in the field. Open Farms colouring pages were handed out from the Frontenac County and South Frontenac booth space and photo booth. Farm-to-Table Culinary Events Overall awareness of where food comes from continued to be encouraged through awareness of local products featured at events and on menus. There were culinary events that highlighted locally grown and produced items including: •
farm-to-table events and offerings at the markets,
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Oktoberfest featuring local products,
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Farm-to-table dinner at Donald Gordon Conference Centre,
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menus highlighting local at Black Dog Tavern and The Secret Garden Inn,
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Family Cooking class with Cravin’ and Kingston Food Tours
There were two farm-to-table dinners originally planned with one selling out and the second one being cancelled due to low ticket sales. Marketing & Media Coverage The marketing for Open Farms directed to OpenFarms.ca through the various channels encouraging visitors to learn more. The marketing for Open Farms included, website, social media paid and organic posts, ads, boosted posts, shared content, road signs, and posters. The marketing continued to be led by Frontenac County, Economic Development with partners sharing across their channels. Partners coordinated, booking and distribution of posters, and signage within their area. Participating locations were encouraged to promote their events to their networks. Below are some marketing highlights from the partners. The analytics outlined below are from August 1 to September 8, 2025. There were no direct media inquiries for interviews. Media did share information about Open Farms in their news and social media. Visit Frontenac Social Media There was a combination of organic and paid ads and boosted posts across the Visit Frontenac channels, with some posts being shared on Frontenac County social media Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
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channels. The Visit Frontenac social media channels are managed by Economic Development. There was a total of 8 paid ads and boosted posts that ran for various durations displaying on both Facebook and Instagram. o Paid Reach – 67,439 o Paid, Link Clicks – 2,087 Both Facebook and Instagram were used to post organic content and to share participating locations and partner content. • Facebook and Instagram posts – twenty-six posts and shares garnering a total reach of 52,816 Township of South Frontenac South Frontenac used its official social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, and LinkedIn to promote the initiative. In addition, the events were included on the Community Events Calendar, in the Frontenac News weekly banner, on the municipal electronic sign, and in the 25 Things To Do South Frontenac Fall Edition. Facebook had the highest performance, resulting in the following performance statistics: • 9 organic posts resulting in 15,153 impressions and 848 click throughs to the Open Farms website. Tourism Kingston Tourism Kingston used its official Visit Kingston social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Stories and Reels, Tik Tok to promote the initiative. A paid social media campaign on Facebook, 25 Things To Do monthly list September, both print and digital, consumer newsletter, Visit Kingston and Culinary Tourism Alliance events calendars, and inclusion in festival/events article in Fresh magazine, both print and digital. •
Facebook: Impressions: 21,611, Reach: 13,629 Engagement: 71, Posts: 4
•
Instagram: Impressions: 36,151, Reach: 16,641, Engagement: 671, Posts: 6
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Tic Tok: Views: 324,572, Reach: 84.1K Engagement : 230, Posts: 1
•
Total Impressions: 382,334 Total Reach: 114,370 Total Engagement : 972 Posts: 11
Regional Tourism Organizations The regional tourism organizations, RTO9 and OHTO both supported the event with promotion across their channels, using social media and blogs to raise awareness for Open Farms. Farm to Table Connections Building and strengthening farm-to-table connections with farms, chefs, businesses, and producers is an area that continued to be supported as part of the work that the
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Community Development Officer does within the region. Building relationships and making long term connections and customers is an area that continues to be important to the farms, chefs and business community. This continued to be an area that all parties were interested in increasing the connection to customers. Participant Survey All locations whether they participated in Open Farms 2025 were asked to complete a survey or to meet with the partners to provide input to help inform the recommendation for the Planning and Economic Development Committee. •
•
There was a total of 9 responses received, with two being from the same organization. There are a total of seventy-six farms, businesses and community organizations in the email list. One of the advisors shared their input with the partners at a meeting.
Frontenac County Staff Resources The Community Development Officers time was spent on organizing, communications, marketing, and the weekend of the event. •
140 hours on Open Farms in 2025,
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256 hours in 2024,
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312 hours in 2023.
Looking Ahead: Exploring new ways to support food and agriculture in Frontenac County As described above, the Open Farms initiative has continued to evolve and change each year for eight years with varied interest and involvement from farms, businesses and community organizations. Each year for the last 3 years there has been a steady decrease in participation of farms, businesses and visitors in the initiative. With this in mind, it is the recommendation of this report that the Open Farms event be suspended for the foreseeable future and that the staff and financial resources used for coordinating and hosting the Open Farms event be redeployed for supporting the food and agriculture sector through the following initiatives that will reach across more farms and businesses in Frontenac County. Through the input received and the partner meeting, below is an outline of the staff recommendation to support the food and agriculture sector. Staff will continue to connect and explore opportunities and partnerships if they align with the Core Goals and support the Frontenac community.
- Strategic Partnerships Explore a partnerships with organizations such as the Culinary Tourism Alliance and Agritourism Ontario to support access to their programming, Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
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and promotional opportunities including marketing to a wider audience to connect Frontenac farms, and businesses with more potential customers. Culinary Tourism Alliance Partnering with the Culinary Tourism Alliance would strengthen Frontenac County’s culinary and agritourism offerings, improve operator readiness through targeted training, and expand the County’s visibility through established marketing channels. It would deepen integration between tourism and local food systems, create new economic opportunities, and provide access to specialized expertise and measurement tools to guide decision-making. Services offered by the Culinary Tourism Alliance include: •
Food & Farm Trail Development: Creating a coordinated culinary or agritourism trail featuring farms, producers, and dining experiences.
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Operator Training & Capacity Building: Workshops or coaching to prepare businesses for culinary tourism markets.
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Culinary Storytelling & Marketing Support: Regional brand-building through CTA’s national platforms and campaigns.
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Experience Development Program: Guided creation or enhancement of farmbased or food-focused visitor experiences.
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Feasibility or Strategic Planning Support: Developing a culinary tourism strategy or roadmap aligned with County priorities.
Agritourism Ontario Explore a connection and support for farms in the region through Agritourism Ontario and the work they are doing to raise the profile and awareness of farms across the region. 2. Increased Support for Farmers Markets Explore additional support for the three markets in Frontenac, with increased awareness through the existing Frontenac County Economic Development channels, including website, social media and the weekly business newsletter. The increased awareness would include the regular market dates and times as well as special events and programming they offer. 3. Continued Support for Plowing Matches Support the marketing for the Frontenac County Plowing Match and the Wolfe Island Plowing Match through the business newsletter, social media, website, collaboration with the Regional Tourism Organization to raise awareness to wider audiences. Continue to explore additional opportunities to support the marketing for this initiative with the Township of South Frontenac. Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
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4. Improved Farm, Food & Beverage Information on County Websites Farm and business locations will be added to the Frontenac County Tourism web pages. The standalone Open Farms website will be discontinued. 5. Farm to Fork Connections The Economic Development Team will continue collaborating with farms, chefs, and producers to strengthen long-term customer relationships. To build on these connections, the team proposes hosting an off-season networking opportunity for farms, chefs, producers, and retailers from Frontenac and Kingston. This event would: • Showcase what farms have to offer. • Provide chefs and retailers an opportunity to share what they need. • Create space for networking and exploring collaboration opportunities. Planning this event will require time for research, coordination, and partner input to ensure it meets the needs of participants. The timing will be determined based on the scope and feedback from farms and businesses. Clear objectives and measurable outcomes will be established to evaluate its success. Financial Implications The 2026 Budget for Open Farms is $5,000. Alignment with the Charter for Economic Development “Food & Beverage” is one of four pillars in the Charter for Economic Development, Open Farms and the proposed strategies of this report are in alignment with the following objectives: •
Local Food Ecosystem Support: Provide support to producers and processors creating food products in Frontenac County
•
Small Scale Agriculture: Establish Frontenac County as a destination for small scale, local agriculture and strengthen community support for local farms.
For more information about the Charter for Economic Development, please visit engagefrontenac.ca/charter-for-economic-development Strategic Priorities 2. Contribute to the Progress of Sustainable Economic Growth and Prosperity Throughout the County. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected South Frontenac Township Recommendation Report to the Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2025 and Future Support for Food and Agriculture November 27, 2025
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Tourism Kingston Frontenac Farmers Market, Sharbot Lake Farmers Market, Market at Wolfe Island Commons Farms, Businesses and Community Organizations Frontenac County Plowmen’s Association
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Report 2025-091 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Member, Planning Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Prepared by:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
November 27, 2025
Re:
Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee – Update to the Frontenac Business Directory
Recommendation This report is provided to the committee for information purposes only. Background As part of the development of a “Web Portal” website for Economic Development undertaken in 2017, the County began to host a Business Directory available for use by businesses across Frontenac County. This directory was then set up to serve as the same data base for use by the Townships of North Frontenac and Central Frontenac as part of their Township Websites. The County is currently in the process of migrating its website from its existing service provider to a new service provider, and as part of that process it was determined that a new solution for a Business Directory is required. In response, the GIS Team is working with the Economic Development Team to develop a new business directory using Esri mapping and dashboard tools. This system will include both a public-facing map viewer and an internal dashboard serving as a basic customer relationship management (CRM) tool. Comment Through discussions with the County’s internal GIS department, it was determined that it would be possible to develop a map-based web directory internally to replace the
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existing business directory. The GIS department has already created a similar product: The Wolfe Island Community Map. This approach will provide essential business information to residents, visitors and other interested parties through an interactive and dynamic map format at no additional cost to the County or its partners at the Township. As a result, staff at the County are undertaking the development of this new directory using the existing database, which will remain live until December 31, 2025. The new interactive map and directory will be created for public use and linked through the County’s website. This application will provide the following: •
Display business locations, basic information, and photos/logos using the information from the current business database, currently under review to flag any significant changes.
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Include home-based businesses that do not wish to have their physical location shown on the map; these businesses will appear as non-mapped entries in the listing.
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Organize businesses into categories similar to those used for the Wolfe Island Community Map, refined as needed.
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Businesses can also be filtered and displayed by Township.
In addition to the public facing functionality described above, an internal dashboard will be created to support Economic Development staff in securely and confidentially tracking day-to-day business requests and other engagements, with the basic functionality typically provided by a Customer Relationship Management system (CRM). This secure dashboard will provide staff with the ability to: •
Display business locations, contact information, and an interaction history built upon an existing model using spreadsheets through the Microsoft Lists application.
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Track interactions with all businesses included on the public facing business directory but will also confidentially track interactions with those tagged as retired, closed, or not yet open (which will not appear in the public viewer).
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Filter interaction history by business, year or interaction type and display entries in chronological order.
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Feature an interactive widget summarizing the total number of interactions for a selected business.
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Support mobile-friendly logging and editing of interactions by staff.
As the new map and dashboard is developed, a process for intake and updates from businesses will be developed and a web form will be created to allow businesses to submit updates or corrections to their information. Report to Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Update to the Frontenac Business Directory November 27, 2025
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Next Steps Economic Development is currently reviewing the existing database to determine if general business information is accurate. GIS have begun to prepare the new, mapbased directory and will present the completed solution to the committee at its next meeting, scheduled for January. Once a functional directory is in place, the Economic Development department will reach out to local businesses to encourage a review of their listing. Regular reviews will take place to ensure content and functionality remains up-to-date and relevant. Charter for Economic Development Alignment This project is aligned with the objective to “Grow and Maintain Business Community in Frontenac County,” found under the Economic Infrastructure theme. For more information about the Charter for Economic Development, please visit engagefrontenac.ca/charter-for-economic-development Frontenac County Strategic Plan Alignment Goal 2: “Contribute to the Progress of Sustainable Economic Growth and Prosperity Throughout the County” •
Provide business support and resources to existing and prospective businesses.
Financial Implications The previous business directory provided through GHD had an annual cost of $1698.73 The new directory will be developed and maintained in-house with technology and skills provided by the Frontenac GIS team. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Kristy Elderhorst, Supervisor of GIS David Millard, Manager of Information Services Matt Mills, Communications Officer
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