Foodpreneur Advantage Start-up Seminars
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
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
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
