Kemptville, Ontario — Leeds-Grenville MP, Gord Brown, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health and Minister for FedNor, today announced up to $130,000 in Government of Canada funding under the Eastern Ontario Development Program (EODP) in support of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest (EOMF) for a regional project that aims to establish a connection between sustainable forests and the marketplace, triggering a transformation of the forest -based economy of Eastern Ontario. The project is sponsored by the Grenville CFDC and administered by Eastern Ontario CFDC Network Inc.

Eastern Ontario Model Forest, in collaboration with its partners and stakeholders, will secure engineering and architectural consulting services to assist with the site planning of a proposed Eco-Industrial Park in the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, based on a wide variety of wood products and by-products, along with a marketing/promotional plan and instruments of recruitment for new businesses and investment into the proposed park. The long-term impacts of the project are envisioned as job creation, enhanced value-added wood production throughout Eastern Ontario, new and expanded market opportunities for landowners throughout the region and effective use of wood by-products for innovative bio-resource energy and bio-product development.

Grenville CFDC Executive Director, Heather Lawless, remarked, “Eastern Ontario’s significant forest-based economy is changing to a more sustainable, bio-product based, market-driven utilization of Eastern Ontario’s unique mixed wood forests. This project is a significant and concrete step towards that goal”.

“Finding and identifying new economic drivers in our rural communities is key to our success. I am pleased to see that Regional Partners are taking the lead on developing new technology and industry, thanks to the Eastern Ontario Development Program," says Gord Brown, Member of Parliament for Leeds-Grenville. “By combining our expertise to develop innovative ideas and opportunities, we can attract new investment to our area."

Larry Dishaw, Mayor for Edwardsburgh/Cardinal adds, “We are well positioned to move forward with this project, and look forward to working alongside the Eastern Ontario Model Forest in furthering an economy-positive vision for all of Eastern Ontario, now and in the future.”

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