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City of Port Colborne announces support through the Government of Canada-funded My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program
Dance Expressions Inc. receives $10,000 from My Main Street to support its main street small business
January 2, 2023 - Port Colborne, Ontario
Main streets play a vital role in growing the Canadian economy and supporting local communities.
The City of Port Colborne would like to congratulate Dance Expressions Inc. on being a recipient of a My Main Street non-repayable funding contribution of $10,000.
This contribution will allow Dance Expressions Inc. to support findings from the market research provided by My Main Street to drive economic growth and attract new customers to its business and the Port Colborne community.
From its market report, Dance Expressions Inc. was pleased to learn that there are nearly 560 children aged 0-19 living in the area, with an overall population of over 3,100 residents and more than 1,220 households. Unfortunately, the pandemic caused several shutdowns for the business' in-person classes, forcing a move to providing online dancing, which resulted in decreased enrollment. Dance Expressions plans to focus its non-repayable funding spending on leasehold improvements, as well as technology and equipment upgrades and is hopeful this will help increase membership going forward. The plan is to use these positive additions as a focus for future marketing efforts and to once again turn its business back into the bustling dance studio it was pre-COVID.
The My Main Street, Local Business Accelerator program is delivered by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario with an overall Government of Canada investment of $23.25 million through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) to support the recovery and strength of main streets and local businesses in southern Ontario.
On behalf of Dance Expressions Inc., the City of Port Colborne would like to thank the Government of Canada, FedDev Ontario and the Economic Developers Council of Ontario and the Honourable Filomena Tassi and MP Vance Badawey for supporting our local business.
Quotes
“Main streets play a vital role in growing local communities and economies for everyone. The Government of Canada will continue to invest in My Main Street and the small businesses the program serves, resulting in local economic growth and more vibrant neighbourhoods for Canadians and their families to call home.”
- The Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
“Small businesses in Port Colborne play a vital role in the success of our local economy. Through My Main Street, our government, in collaboration with EDCO and CUI is committed to helping communities bring their main streets back to life by supporting businesses that will reanimate our neighbourhoods, creating jobs and driving economic growth for local economies.”
- Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre
“The Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) is delighted to be delivering the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program to support local business and main streets across southern Ontario. Thanks to the support of the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, local businesses will have access to resources to help create economic opportunities for these main street communities, which is an essential component to a successful local economy.”
- Heather Lalonde, Chief Executive Officer for the Economic Developers Council of Ontario
“I am so honoured to be considered and approved for this funding! To say I am grateful to have the opportunity to make teaching easier for our faculty and create a better experience for our dancers is an understatement. Receiving these non-repayable funds is going to help me make additional improvements to the dance school that I have been forced to put on hold due to the pandemic. Now I can get to them right away and that’s fantastic and such a huge relief. I am looking forward to putting my energy back into sharing my passion for dance and the arts with my students, so their time at Dance Expressions Inc. is more memorable than it was before!”
- Heather King, Dance Expressions Inc.
On behalf of city staff and the Economic Development Department we would like congratulate Dance Expressions Inc. on being recipients of $10,000 non-repayable funding through the My Main Street Local Business Accelerator program. Thank you for your ongoing dedication and providing our community’s youth with a place to discover the gift of dance.”
- Bram Cotton, Economic Development Officer
Associated Links
Media Contacts
Lizz Noble
Marketing Manager
My Main Street
Edward Hutchinson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
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