Building Eastern Ontario: Economic Action Plan will attract jobs and businesses to Eastern Ontario

February 04, 2009

Ottawa - On January 27th, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and the Conservative government introduced Canada’s Economic Action Plan. Combining tax reductions, investments in communities and protection for vulnerable workers, Canada’s Economic Action Plan sets out a five year agenda to stimulate our economy and help to ensure that we emerge from the global economic downturn even stronger than before.

Across the country, Canada’s Economic Action Plan will inject $30 billion into the Canadian economy this year alone.

The Economic Action Plan includes $20 million for the Eastern Ontario Development program. The program will be administered by the Southern Ontario Development Agency, but its funding will be separate.

The Eastern Ontario Development program supports:

• Development projects that attract new business to rural areas;
• Community-building projects to attract residents; and
• Non-profit groups that assist workers and families in difficulty.

“Communities across Eastern Ontario have seen their businesses decline as a result of the global economic downturn,” said riding MP Guy Lauzon. “The Eastern Ontario Development program plays a key role in helping our businesses to emerge from the recession stronger and more productive than ever.”

With the stimulus measures outlined in Canada’s Economic Action Plan, communities in Eastern Ontario will be poised to come out of the global recession with new opportunities, lower taxes and a highly skilled workforce.