June 26th, 2026

Lanark County has launched a Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) initiative to connect with local businesses, identify their needs and promote long-term economic development. The program will help the County and local municipalities strengthen the local business community, address challenges and encourage job creation and investment in Lanark County and local municipalities.
The BR+E program gives local businesses a direct voice in shaping future programs and services in Lanark County. “Meaningful engagement with existing businesses allows the County to identify barriers to growth and respond with targeted actions to protect jobs and build a more resilient local economy,” says Tim Woods, BR+E Coordinator for Lanark County. Studies show that 76 to 90 percent of new jobs are created by businesses already operating in the community.
The first phase of the program is a confidential business survey that can be completed in person, by phone, or over Zoom. Local business owners are invited to share information about their operations, their future plans and any challenges they are facing. Participation is flexible and responses will be anonymized to protect the identity of individual businesses.
“Supporting local businesses is key to building a strong and resilient economy in Lanark County,” said Warden Richard Kidd, Beckwith Township Reeve. “Through this initiative, we want to hear directly from business owners so we can create an atmosphere where business retention and expansion can happen throughout the County.”
The program is funded in part by the Ontario Ministry of Rural Affairs. The County received $35,000 in matching funding for the program. “Our government is proud to support local economic growth through the Rural Ontario Development Program,” said John Jordan, MPP for Lanark-Frontenac-Kingston. “This investment into Lanark County’s Business Retention and Expansion initiative will help strengthen relationships with local businesses, identify opportunities for growth and contribute to a vibrant local economy.”
The findings from this initiative will inform a targeted Action Plan and help guide future decisions related to programs, services, and infrastructure in Lanark County. Local business representatives are encouraged to visit www.lanarkcounty.ca/grow to register for the survey process.