EOAN News
Foodpreneur Advantage Start-up Seminars
Posted on : 2025-07-18
The Foodpreneur Advantage program is presenting a comprehensive series of virtual Start-Up Seminars specifically crafted for food and beverage entrepreneurs. Covering a variety of critical topics—from product innovation and regulatory compliance to branding, packaging, marketing, and distribution—these sessions offer invaluable expertise for those launching or growing a food business. Click here for all the information of the seminars!
Here are the dates, titles, and links of the seminars:
- Wednesday, August 13th, 2025 at 10:00 am : Barcodes and Beyond: What You Need to be Market-Ready
- Thursday, August 21st, 2025 at 10:00 am : Starting a Food Business & Regulatory Compliance
- Thursday, August 28th, 2025 at 10:00 am : How to Sell Your Food Product
- Thursday, September 4th, 2025 at 10:00 am : Costing & Pricing to Make Profits
- Thursday, September 11th, 2025 at 10:00 am : Marketing & Branding your Food Product
- Thursday, September 18th, 2025 at 10:00 am : Food Safety Fundamentals for Startups
- Thursday, September 25th, 2025 at 10:00 am : Labelling & Packaging your Food Product
Rural Ontario Development Program
Posted on : 2025-07-18
The Ontario government’s Rural Ontario Development (ROD) Program offers $20 million in funding over two years to support economic growth in rural communities. Replacing the former Rural Economic Development (RED) Program, it aligns with Ontario’s Rural Economic Development Strategy, Enabling Opportunity.
The program provides cost-share funding for projects that:
- Build capacity and address barriers to economic development
- Attract, retain, and expand businesses, investment, and jobs
- Strengthen regional partnerships and resilience
- Address workforce challenges
- Transform community assets to drive growth
Eligible applicants include municipalities, Indigenous communities, not-for-profits, local services boards, and small rural businesses (1–20 employees). Projects must be located within eligible rural areas of Ontario.
The program features multiple application intake periods through 2027, with the next deadline on September 24, 2025.
Destination Discovery Series
Posted on : 2025-07-18
Curious about who’s working behind the scenes to boost tourism in your region? Want to know who to call for support, collaboration, or funding opportunities? Join us for the Destination Discovery Series, brought to you by RTO 9, and get connected with the people and programs that are here to help your tourism business grow.
This informative webinar series is designed to introduce tourism operators to the key players in your destination:
Regional Development Advisors from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming (MTCG)
Your local Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), Destination Marketing Program (DMP), or Destination Marketing Management Office (DMMO)
The team at RTO 9, your regional tourism organization
Why Attend?
Whether you’re a long-standing operator or new to the industry, this is your chance to:
- Build valuable regional connections
- Learn about marketing and development resources
- Ask questions directly to the experts
- Get inspired to participate in upcoming initiatives
Exhibitors Wanted for the Wood and Forest Expo 2025! (Last Call)
Posted on : 2025-07-18
The Wood and Forest fair experience awaits you!
On September 14, 2025, in Riceville, join us for an unforgettable weekend filled with exchanges, discoveries, and opportunities. This event is the perfect occasion to showcase your products, share your knowledge, and connect with an audience passionate about wood, nature, and sustainability.
Practical Details:
• Stand fee: $50
• Only three exhibitors per product to ensure diversity and quality of offerings.
• You must provide a valid insurance certificate to protect yourself as an exhibitor.
Spaces are very limited, so don’t waste any time! Sign up before July 31, 2025, to secure your stand and be part of this unique experience.
Why Participate?
• An engaged and curious audience
• Passionate exhibitors and inspiring partners
• Increased visibility for your business and products
• The opportunity to strengthen ties with the local community while supporting eco-friendly practices
This weekend is yours. Join us and showcase your expertise.
To register, please complete the attached business form and send it to us at expo2025@boisesest.ca. If you would like more information, you can contact us at expo2025@boisesest.ca or visit our website: https://boisesest.ca/expo2025.
Don’t miss your chance to be part of this must-attend experience!
RTO 9 Partnership Fund Information Session 2025/2026
Posted on : 2025-07-18
Join Meg from RTO 9 as she goes through the 2025/2026 Partnership Fund application, guidelines and eligibility requirements for the Partnership Fund Program. This information session will go through the application process and help you determine whether your project/business is eligible to apply, how the program works, and what expenses can be incurred under the project. There will also be time at the end of the presentation to ask questions about the program. This is your opportunity to get familiar with the program before applying!
To find out more about the program, be sure to check out our website here.
To join our newsletter to hear about funding opportunities and events like these, subscribe here.
2025 SEe ON Summit
Posted on : 2025-07-18
Join RTO 9 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Kingston, Ontario for our 2-day SEe ON Summit experience on November 4th & 5th, 2025!
Both days will be packed with incredible speakers, forward thinking ideas and inspiration to spark creativity and help Envision Tourism Growth in South Eastern Ontario.
Looking to spend the night? We have a block of rooms reserved at a special rate at the DoubleTree by Hilton. You can book a room at the button below, or click here.
Lunch will be provided both days. Please reach out to Meg Dabros at mdabros@region9tourism.ca for any dietary considerations. Tickets for this event are non-refundable. If you have any questions prior to purchasing a ticket or have extenuating circumstances, please contact Meg at RTO 9.
Tickets are now available for purchase with limited spots available! Grab your tickets today!
Interlude 2025 fundraising campaign
Posted on : 2025-07-17
On November 27, Interlude (formerly known as Maison Interlude House) will be hosting a major fundraising evening, bringing together influential members of our community: municipal officials, business leaders, dedicated professionals, and more.
During the event, gift baskets filled with local products will be auctioned off to raise essential funds in support of services provided to women and children who are victims of violence. The goal is to create one sweet basket, one savoury basket, and one wellness basket.
We are reaching out to you, as a local producer, for your generosity:
Would you be willing to contribute 1 or 2 of your products to help fill these unique baskets?
This is a great opportunity to:
✔ Showcase your products to an engaged audience
✔ Support Interlude’s essential mission
✔ Demonstrate the strength and solidarity of our agri-food community
If you’d like to contribute to the gift baskets, please reach out to Myriam at: soireebenefice@minterludeh.ca
A quick but important reminder: please don’t forget to include a business card or an informational tag with your products, to encourage bidders to discover more about you afterward! Also, make sure to indicate the value of the product(s) you’re donating (to help us share the total value of each basket).
A heartfelt thank you in advance for your generous contribution from all of us at Interlude.
University of Guelph’s Food and Agriculture Job Fair
Posted on : 2025-07-17
You’re invited to register for the University of Guelph’s Food and Agriculture Job Fair!
Recruit, hire, and increase your company’s branding by connecting with students interested in the agricultural, business and food sectors, and in your upcoming co-op, full-time, new grad or summer hiring needs.
Date: Wednesday, October 1, 2025
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Location: University Centre, Peter Clark Hall, University of Guelph
Space is limited! Registration is available on a first come first served basis until the event is full.
Soil Connections at Springfield Farm
Posted on : 2025-06-03
Wednesday June 18 @ 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
You will also have the chance to meet and get to know other interested farmers and community members and enjoy some delicious refreshments.
Springfield Farm offers on-farm experiences, small grains, produce, honey, maple syrup and prepared foods and from their certified organic 120 acre location near Apple Hill.
This event is presented in partnership with Farmers for Climate Solutions and with funding support from the On-Farm Climate Action Fund. Find additional resources on the FaRM Learning Hub.
Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Learning Centre Platform Launch
Posted on : 2025-05-30
We’re excited to announce the launch of the Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Learning Platform – a new online space designed for local producers and anyone who loves to learn about our agri-food sector. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to grow your knowledge, this user-friendly platform is for you!
🌐 Explore it here: learning.savoureaston.ca
We warmly thank the local producers, experts, and partners who shared their time and insights for the first round of content. Their contributions are what make this platform valuable and rooted in real-life experience.
We also gratefully acknowledge the Ontario Trillium Foundation for the funding that made the creation of this platform possible.
We are actively working to make all content available in both official languages, and we look forward to working on Round Two
