Body: Economic Development Task Force
Type: Minutes
Meeting: Committee Meeting
Date: March 17, 2025
Collection: Committees and Task Forces
[View Document (PDF)](/docs/north-frontenac/Committees and Task Forces/Economic Development Task Force/2025/Notes/Economic Development Task Force - 17 Mar 2025 - Minutes.pdf)
Document Text
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes March 17, 2025
Economic Development Task Force Minutes 9:00 AM - Monday, March 17, 2025 Council Chambers
Present:
Deputy Mayor John Inglis (Acting Chair); Councillor Roy Huetl; Danielle
Kecso; Paul Thiel; and Dan Vaillancourt.
Absent with Regret:
Councillor Stephanie Regent (Chair); Cyndy Bonello; Brandon Hartwig
and Tammy Watson
Also Present:
Brooke Ross, Dipl.M.A., Manager of Community Development (MCD);
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development (County of
Frontenac); and Lori Newman (Secretary)
Call to Order The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 9:00 a.m.
Traditional Land Acknowledgement
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof None.
Economic Development Task Force Notes
a) Notes of the February 18, 2025 EDTF Meeting as approved via email and were received for information at the March 14, 2025 Regular Meeting of Council.
Business Arising
a) Updated 2025 Work Plan - to be sent to Council for consideration
The MCD provided the updated 2025 work plan to the EDTF members for review prior to submitting to Council for consideration. The initiative discussed at the last EDTF meeting regarding Opportunities and Promotion of the ATV Trails (including K&P Trail) was added to the work plan for Council’s consideration.
2025 EDTF Work Plan
b) Welcome Package – Bonello
No update.
c) Business Dinner & Forum (April 25, 2025) – Vaillancourt, Regent, Huetl
The Business Dinner & Forum will take place at the Clar-Mill Community Hall on April 25, Page 1 of 5
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes March 17, 2025
2025 at 5:30 p.m. The MCD reported that 28 RSVP’s have been received so far.
d) Business Profiles –Thiel, Huetl
No update at this time, continuing to work on more profiles.
e) National Tradesman Day Breakfast (Sept) – MCD
No update.
f) SummerFest (July 19, 2025) – Bonello, Inglis, Vaillancourt
No update.
g) WinterFest (February 22, 2025) – Bonello, Inglis, Watson
The WinterFest sub-committee reported that the 2025 WinterFest had approximately 250 people in attendance – not including vendors. The event was considered a success and very well received and will be proposed to be continued in 2026.
h) Spring/Fall Foodilicous Event - Thiel, Regent, Kecso
The sub-committee working on the Spring/Fall Foodilicous initiative would like to potentially have this event take place in June 2025. Danielle Kecso provided an agenda/format to share with the EDTF members regarding ideas and promotion for this initiative. The EDTF reviewed and will continue to discuss at the next EDTF meeting when more members are present.
i) Mural Project - MCD
The EDTF discussed potential locations for the next round (Round 10) of the Mural Project. The MCD provided the EDTF members a list of the current mural locations so that placement can be considered throughout the township. The EDTF decided on the following five locations:
Mississippi Station @ Shiner Road
St.Killan’s Catholic Cemetery
Dempsey Cemetery
Ompah Cemetery
Plevna Cemetery
The EDTF would like to have the murals completed and unveiled for the September or October Council meeting and would like to encourage that the mural topics are focused on historical significance. The MCD will include this information in the advertisement. The MCD will have the advertisement posted on the Township Website, Social Media accounts and the Frontenac News.
j) NF Commercial Signage – Regent, Kecso, Thiel Page 2 of 5
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes March 17, 2025
The North Frontenac Commercial signage sub-committee have decided not to move forward with this project prior to the sign by-law being implemented. The EDTF would like to recommend moving forward with fixing/replacing/updating the 3 existing information kiosks that are located at the Clar-Mill Hall, Star Gazing Pad & the Ompah Rest Stop. The sub-committee also would like to request that a draft advertising package be created by the new Economic Community Development summer student and confirmed with the Sub-committee and EDTF prior to making recommendations to Council.
k) Tradeshow – Bonello, Thiel
Paul Thiel and Roy Heutl provided an update on the 2025 Quinte Sportsman Boat & RV Show that they volunteered at on March 7-9, 2025 to promote North Frontenac, North Frontenac Parklands and North Frontenac Astronomy Park. They reported that the booth was very well attended and it was a great opportunity to highlight some of the Township’s assets. The EDTF would like to look at attending other area Tradeshows in the future. The MCD will continue to look into pricing for Ottawa & Toronto Outdoor shows for 2026 and bring the information back to a future EDTF meeting for discussion and possibly future Council consideration.
l) Identify barriers to housing development and potential solutions – Inglis, Regent, Kecso, Hartwig
Danielle Kecso will bring mapping showing Township owned property that could potentially be developed for housing to the next EDTF for further discussion prior to making recommendations to Council.
New Business
a) EDTF Attendance
Deputy Mayor Inglis (Acting Chair) reminded EDTF members to inform the Chair (and MCD) if unable to attend an EDTF meeting so that in the event that multiple members are unavailable on a particular date the meeting could be re-scheduled.
Adjournment
a) Meeting adjourned at 10:57 a.m.
NOTE : The next meeting of the EDTF will take place on Monday, April 22, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at the Municipal Council Chambers located at 6648 Road 506, Plevna.
Recommendations to Council
Be It Resolved That Council receives for information the March 17, 2025 Notes of the Economic Development Task Force (EDTF); Page 3 of 5
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes March 17, 2025
And That Council approves the updated 2025 EDTF Workplan.
Received by Council onApril 4, 2025.
Councillor Stephanie Regent, Chair Township of North Frontenac EDTF
Page 4 of 5 EDTF 2025 Work Plan Proposed Update: March 17, 2025 Economic Development Task Force 2025 Work Plan Objectives
- Increased number of business startups and expansions
- Increased Tourism
- Promotion of a range of housing options to provide affordable housing including Public-Private Partnerships (PPEs) Initiatives
- Increased number of business startups and expansions a. Welcome Package – Bonello b. Business Dinner & Forum (April) – Vaillancourt, Regent, Huetl c. Business Profiles –Thiel, Huetl d. National Tradesman Day Breakfast (Sept) – MCD
- Increased Tourism a. SummerFest (July 19, 2025) – Bonello, Inglis, Vaillancourt b. WinterFest (February 22, 2025) – Bonello, Inglis, Watson c. Spring/Fall Foodilicous Event - Thiel, Regent, Kecso d. Mural Project - MCD e. NF Commercial Signage – Regent, Kecso, Thiel f. Tradeshow – Bonello, Thiel g. ATV Trails (including K&P Trail) Opportunities and Promotion – Huetl, Bonello
- Promotion of a range of housing options to provide affordable housing including Public-Private Partnerships (PPEs) a. Identify barriers to housing development and potential solutions – Inglis, Regent, Kecso, Hartwig Page 5 of 5
