A one-year Enterprise Facilitation pilot project has been hailed a 'huge success' by Lennox and Addington County staff. Recognizing its impact on the local economy, county council extended the program to March 31, 2012, with an option of extending it further during 2012 budget deliberations. Enterprise Facilitation is a free, confidential service that the county provides to small business and entrepreneurs.

Reporting to council last week, Stephen Paul, the manager of economic development, said that 133 clients were served in just over one year.

"We found that it has filled a significant gap in Lennox and Addington County to support small business owners, which ultimately are the largest percentage of growth in the county itself," he said during the regular session of council on Nov. 23.

"This has been a significant part of our economic development 'growing from within' strategy."

To date, the program has resulted in 27 new businesses, 13 expansions, six retentions, 72 new jobs created and 92 jobs retained.

Paul said his department feels Enterprise Facilitation will continue to be a backbone of the countyÕs economic development strategy.

Extending the program until March will cost an estimated $10,000-12,000 Ñ funds which have already been allocated for this purpose, Paul said.

Councillor Gord Schermerhorn commended Tracey Snow, the enterprise facilitator, and Paul for their ongoing work.

Initiated in October 2010, the project was fully funded by the government of Canada through stimulus funding.

"This program is especially important with the current economic uncertainties," Paul added.

"Creativity, knowledge and innovation are keys to driving economic development and our long term economic resilience will be built on a foundation of entrepreneurial capacity and community development."

The budgeted annual cost of the program in 2011 was $63,500.

From: Business program gets thumbs up
By: Dominik Wisniewski
The Napanee Beaver
December 1, 2011