Body: Economic Development Task Force
Type: Minutes
Meeting: Committee Meeting
Date: January 20, 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 - 20 Jan 2025 - Minutes.pdf)
Document Text
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes January 20, 2025
Economic Development Task Force Minutes 10:00 AM - Monday, January 20, 2025 Council Chambers
Present:
Councillor Stephanie Regent (Chair); Deputy Mayor John Inglis;
Councillor Roy Huetl; Cyndy Bonello; Danielle Kesco; Paul Thiel; Dan
Vaillancourt; Brandon Hartwig; and Tammy Watson
Absent with Regret:
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 10:00 a.m.
a) Welcome New Members Brandon Hartwig and Tammy Watson
The EDTF welcomed new members Brandon Hartwig and Tammy Watson and thanked them for volunteering to join the Economic Development Task Force.
Traditional Land Acknowledgement
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof None.
Economic Development Task Force Notes
a) Notes of the December 10, 2024 EDTF Meeting as approved via email and were received for information at the January 10, 2025 Regular Meeting of Council.
Business Arising
a) North Frontenac Strategic Plan - 2024-2028 - for information purposes
The EDTF received the North Frontenac Strategic Plan – 2024-2028 – for information purposes.
b) Review of 2025 Work Plan
The EDTF reviewed the 2025 Work Plan.
Brandon Hartwig advised that he would be interested in joining the “Identify barriers to Page 1 of 5
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes January 20, 2025
housing development and potential solutions sub-committee”. The EDTF agreed to add Brandon to this working group.
c) Review of 2023 - 2026 Terms of Reference
The EDTF reviewed the 2023-2026 – Terms of Reference and made updates regarding current EDTF members.
d) Welcome Package – Bonello
Cyndy Bonello and the MCD will arrange to meet in the upcoming weeks in order to go through and ensure all content is up to date.
e) Business Dinner & Forum (April) – Vaillancourt, Regent, Huetl
The Business Dinner & Forum working group met to discuss this event which is now tentatively planned for April 25, 2025 at the Clar-Mill Community Hall. The MCD will take care of booking the hall for this date & time. The working group is firming up guest speakers and will soon be ready to have the MCD send out invitations to the businesses via email. The working group would like to invite the MPP & MP to this event. The working group will be requesting EDTF members and Council to participate in serving the dinner to the business owners.
f) Business Profiles –Thiel, Huetl
Paul Thiel has two Businesses interested in having a Business Profile completed on their
business and will be scheduling these in the near future. Paul requested contact
information for the Mazinaw-Lanark Forest Inc. from the MCD so that he may reach out
for information on loggers in North Frontenac for potential Business Profiles in the future.
Roy Heutl volunteered to assist Paul with the Profiles moving forward.
g) SummerFest (July 19, 2025) – Bonello, Inglis, Vaillancourt
No update at this time.
h) WinterFest (February 22, 2025) – Bonello, Inglis, Watson
The WinterFest working group are continuing to meet to discuss the February 22, 2025 event. They reported that they are receiving responses from businesses interested in participating as well as entries for the talent contest. They are looking for volunteers to assist in various duties for the event.
i) Spring/Fall Foodilicous Event - Thiel, Regent, Kecso
The working group is working on the Spring/Fall Foodilicous initiative and would like to potentially have this event take place in June of 2025 and will continue to meet and bring back information to the EDTF.
j) NF Commercial Signage – Regent, Kecso, Thiel Page 2 of 5
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes January 20, 2025
The North Frontenac Commercial signage working group continues to await direction from the Public Works Manager regarding the sign by-law and will bring back to a future EDTF meeting for consideration before submitting for Council consideration. The MCD will meet with the Public Works Manager on discussing moving forward without a sign By- law.
k) Tradeshow – Bonello, Thiel
Cyndy Bonello and Paul Thiel will be emailing the EDTF members in the next week to request three additional volunteers for the upcoming 2025 Quinte Sportsman Boat & RV Show on March 7-9, 2025. Paul suggested that a Township QR code is created and printed for the show. Cyndy volunteered to take care of the request. (Paul also suggested that it would be valuable to print some extra copies to post at the 5 Township Community Halls as well). Roy Heutl suggested that copies of the “Township Of North Frontenac Community Profile” are printed to take to the tradeshow. Cyndy will send a draft email to the MCD to reach out to businesses in the Township to see if they are interested in sending brochures/advertising products.
l) Identify barriers to housing development and potential solutions – Inglis, Regent, Kecso, Hartwig
The working group continues to work on a proposal for Council. The group requested that the MCD email a list of township owned properties that are approximately 5 acres that could be potential locations for development/severance in order to develop a potential proposal for Councils consideration.
New Business
a) Review of DRAFT 2025 Visitor Guide
The EDTF reviewed the second annual Draft Visitor Guide – “Explore Township Of North Frontenac”. The MCD will send an email out to the Township’s Tourism businesses to see who would like to be included in the 2025 Visitor Guide which is planned to be published for March/April. It was suggested that the publication could feature a new location/story each year and requested that the MCD select another historic story to replace “The Legend Of Myers Cave” for the 2025 edition. It was also suggested that mention of the Linda’s Loop and K&P trail is included in the “Trails” section, removal of a reference to a 2nd boat launch on Buckshot Lake, removal of a few businesses that have moved/closed, inclusion of information on the new Electric Vehicle Charging Station location (coming March 31), and inclusion of the new Township QR code.
b) Review of DRAFT 2025 Community Profile
The EDTF reviewed the DRAFT 2025 Community Profile. It was suggested that K&P trail is included in the “Sports & Recreation – Trails - Hiking” section, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is included in the “Faith and Worship” section, and the Plevna Canada Page 3 of 5
North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes January 20, 2025
Post address included in the “Postal and Courier Services” section.
Other Business
a) Dan Vaillancourt reported that South Frontenac has recently updated their wayfinding signage and that the EDTF consider adding something similar to these for a future project to consider. The MCD will add this item to the “EDTF Parking Lot”.
b) Tammy Watson inquired if any township staff are continuing to proactively keep in contact with business owners since the Economic Development Officer position has been terminated. The MCD advised that this has not been continued on a daily basis but on an as needed basis; however, this may be among the duties of the new Summer Student position that commences in May 2025.
c) Tammy Watson informed the EDTF of Stephanie Regent being awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal which honours individuals for having made a significant contribution to Canada. The award is to be presented to Stephanie on March 18, 2025.
d) Roy Heutl suggested that the EDTF/Township begin promoting the K&P trail more as it has become a great asset for North Frontenac Township as well as the County. Richard Allen expressed interest in having a more robust conversation at a future EDTF meeting regarding partnership/promotion.
e) Andrew & Felicity attended the EDTF meeting and introduced themselves and their Adventure Company “Cruising Canoes” which recently has moved from the Belleville area to North Frontenac (setting up the business at this time). The EDTF welcomed them to the township and invited them to the Business Dinner in April in order to meet other businesses and discuss potential collaborations. Roy Heutl offered to do a Business Profile on the company to introduce this exciting new business to the Community.
Adjournment
a) Meeting adjourned at 11:42 a.m.
NOTE : The next meeting of the EDTF will take place on Monday, February 18, 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 January 20, 2025 Notes of the Economic Development Task Force (EDTF);
And That Council instructs the Clerk/Planning Manager to send the April 25, 2025 North Frontenac Business Dinner & Forum Invitation to local MP and MPP on behalf of Council and the EDTF.
Received by Council onJanuary 31, 2025.
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North Frontenac Economic Development Task Force Minutes January 20, 2025
Councillor Stephanie Regent, Chair Township of North Frontenac EDTF
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