City of Orillia announces revitalization of main streets and neighbourhoods through partnership with My Main Street

Today, the City of Orillia announced that Orillia’s Business Improvement Area (Downtown Orillia) will be participating in the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program to help revitalize our main street.

“This much-needed injection of cash into our City’s core is a welcome boost,” said Coun. Ted Emond, Chair of the City of Orillia Economic Recovery Task Force. “This funding will help main street businesses recover from the impacts of COVID-19 and will help the downtown better position itself to reach a larger market when it is safe to welcome visitors into our community.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Canada, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), announced a $23.25- million investment to the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) to establish My Main Street — a two-year program to support the recovery and revitalization of main streets and local businesses in southern Ontario through two program streams.

EDCO is delivering the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program stream, which supports the revitalization of 65 main street communities, and provides non-repayable contributions for more than 650 local businesses across southern Ontario. The program focuses on creating and maintaining vibrant and inclusive local main streets while providing residents, new  entrepreneurs, and existing businesses with economic opportunities in our main street communities.

The City of Orillia Business Improvement Area (Downtown Orillia) will be supported with a dedicated Main Street Ambassador, customized market research, data analysis and non-repayable funding contributions for new and existing small businesses.

“Downtown Orillia has become a key destination for visitors across the province and beyond, but it has been a tough year for many of our independently owned businesses,” said Laura Thompson, Senior Manager of Business Development. “The ability to support these businesses through a dedicated Main Street Ambassador will help these businesses regain strength and tap into new markets so that we can continue to boast a strong core.”

The City’s Business Improvement Area is home to about 220 businesses. The year-long initiative will leverage the services of the Downtown Orillia Management Board, the Orillia Area CDC and the City of Orillia Business Development Office. The creation of the Main Street Ambassador role was supported by the City of Orillia’s Emergency Management Committee, which committed approximately $15,000 from the COVID-19 Social and Economic Recovery Fund towards the grant application.

For program details and further information, please visit https://mymainstreet.ca/accelerator-program.

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My Main Street
Media Inquiries
media@mymainstreet.ca

Laura Thompson
Senior Manager of Business Development
705-325-4900
lthompson@orillia.ca

Melissa Gowanlock
Manager of Communications
705-325-8929
705-238-9209 (cell)
mgowanlock@orillia.ca