Tending the rural economy }} Local entrepreneurs say that while they appreciate the city’s support, the needs of businesses outside the towns and villages require special attention
Although the bigger communities in Kawartha Lakes — Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls and Lindsay — are often seen as the focus of the local economy, globalization means that they are unlikely ever to return to the days of large-scale manufacturing facilities such as Fleetwood or Viskase. Economic development now means nurturing smaller operations, many of them located outside our population centres. That in turn means thinking differently about how to support these rural businesses. Rebecca Mustard, the city’s economic development manager, says that while her department still works to attract big companies, supporting small, existing business is at least as important as what she calls “smokestack-chasing.” She’s referring to the old way of thinking about economic development. The cautionary example is the town of Racine, Wisconsin, which has a population comparable to that of Kawartha Lakes. In 2017, Racine persuaded Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn — best known for making iPhones and other Apple devices — to build a factory there. The state’s governor came up with a subsidy and tax-break package totalling almost $3 billion U.S. to attract the company, but Foxconn didn’t live up to the original terms of the agreement. Instead, it built a smaller factory that used robotic assembly lines, ultimately creating far fewer jobs than promised. Wooing a major company is not the only road to jobs and prosperity. Though
REBECCA MUSTARD
Manager of Economic Development for Kawartha Lakes
Mustard points out that there are all kinds of people who want to start their own business. “And that’s great. We want to help provide them with a foundation that ensures they will start strong and remain viable.”
GEOFF COLEMAN Writer-at-large
less glamorous, supporting smaller businesses already firmly rooted in the local community and looking to expand can produce significant dividends. Those companies are also much less likely to leave town for a better offer. Economists say that 70 per cent of new jobs come from existing businesses. Helping them and encouraging local people looking to start an enterprise — something known as “economic gardening” — is a big focus of Kawartha Lakes’ economic development department. Mustard points out that there are all kinds of people who want to start their own business. “And that’s great. We want to help provide them with a foundation that ensures they will start strong and remain viable.” Her department runs programs like Summer Company and Starter Company Plus, providing seed money and advice for young people and new business owners of any age who are taking their first stab at entrepreneurship. Mark Imrie of the Imrie Group, a Woodville-area company offering haulage, excavation, septic and landscaping services, is a graduate of both programs. He found the pairings with two mentors arranged by the economic development department to be particularly useful. “I got a great variety of information. We had monthly meetings and I got really good advice on running a business, marketing, and setting up a website.”
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