Charting Renfrew County’s economic future

The historic business ties between Ottawa and Renfrew County are poised to get a major boost in the coming years as one of the Ottawa Valley’s largest employers prepares an $800-million redevelopment and several other firms ready their own expansions.

While the economic connections between the two areas were forged by the 19th century lumber industry, the relationship today has a decidedly high-tech twist.

Kanata life sciences firm Nordion, for example, tapped the nuclear laboratories in Chalk River for more than six decades to develop its medical isotopes used to treat cancer, as well as in medical therapies, sterilization and industrial scanning.

The Canadian Nuclear Laboratories in Renfrew County – which have spun off commercial ventures developing homeland security solutions (Bubble Technology Industries) and supports the broader nuclear industry in Canada – is set to undergo a massive transformation and renewal, armed with $800 million in fresh funding and new private-sector operators.

Meanwhile, Renfrew County businesses in other sectors including manufacturing, agri-business, tourism and media are drawing on their partners, suppliers and customers in the nation’s capital as they expand.

“Our businesspeople recognize the strong connectivity with Ottawa,” says Alastair Baird, the County of Renfrew’s manager of economic development. “Highway 417 between Ottawa and the Valley runs two ways.”

Ottawa businesses will have an opportunity to explore those opportunities, form new partnerships and see the potential to live, work and play in an area offering a high quality of life at the Renfrew County Economic Development Summit, scheduled for Wednesday, June 21 at the Eagle’s Nest in Eganville.

Hosted by the county’s warden and attended by the region’s senior political leaders and economic development officials, the summit will include a panel discussion about the funding and business support programs available to businesses in the area.

Additionally, the summit is expected to attract Renfrew County’s business leaders, who can provide visitors from Ottawa with an unbiased opinion on doing business in the Ottawa Valley and discuss potential partnership opportunities.

The summit’s keynote speaker will be Larry Smith, an adjunct associate professor of economics at the University of Waterloo who’s known for his advocacy of youth leadership and mentorship in startup business management.

The economic development summit comes at a key time for Renfrew County businesses, which have been leveraging the region’s affordable land supply, skilled workers – many of whom are drawn to the area’s outdoor lifestyle and recreation opportunities – and strong transportation linkages to ride the global economic recovery.

“All these factors are coming together to make for an exciting time here,” says Mr. Baird.