PRESS RELEASE – Guelph, ON January 13, 2021 – Innovation Guelph is pleased to announce a Community Collaboration project through the Digital Main Street Project.
Innovation Guelph announces the partnership of Orangeville & Area SBEC, and the BIAs of Orangeville, Shelburne, and Grand Valley who have successfully obtained funding from the Digital Main Street Future Proof Program in southwestern Ontario. Leveraging their collaborative strength exercised while training 55 businesses with the Digital Transformation Grant, the partners are now looking to support the outstanding selection of food offerings available in Orangeville, Shelburne and Grand Valley providing both visitors and residents with a wide range of culinary experiences.
The project will result in at least twelve videos focusing on individual restaurants’ take-out services. The videos will deliver attractive, upbeat video clips of three to four local eateries in each of the BIA areas created by a professional video marketing firm. The videos will show take-out, delivery and curbside pickup activities and feature a variety of delicious menu options. This community collaboration project will promote local take-out dining in Dufferin County benefitting approximately thirty independent food service businesses, each with an average staff of 15 to 20.
Community Collaboration Projects connect regional innovation centres and community organizations in a series of engaging conversations on common issues facing small businesses to build workable solutions. The Digital Main Street Community Collaboration Project is made possible through financial support of the federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario) and the Government of Ontario.
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“Through collaboration and community, innovative organizations are pulling together to support entrepreneurs and main street businesses,” said Anne Toner Fung, Chief Executive Officer, Innovation Guelph. “Promoting take-out options through professional video production increases visibility and builds engagement. We look forward to seeing the finished product.”
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“We are excited to support restaurants within Dufferin County through this video project. Additionally, we are adding a related page to promote take-out options on the Downtown Orangeville website,” said Alison Scheel, Manager, Downtown Orangeville.
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About
Digital Main Street is a program that helps main street businesses achieve digital transformation. The program is built around an online learning platform, structured training programs, and our Digital Service Squad, a team of street-level team members who help main street businesses grow and manage their operations through technology. Digital Main Street was created by the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas (TABIA) with direct support from the City of Toronto. DMS is also supported by a group of strategic business partners, including Google, Mastercard, Shopify, Microsoft, Facebook, Intuit QuickBooks, Square and Yellow Pages.
A $42.5-million investment from FedDev Ontario and an additional $7.45 million from the Government of Ontario brought together the Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, Communitech, Invest Ottawa, and the Ontario Business Improvement Area Association to expand the Digital Main Street Platform in order to support more businesses to go digital as a response to the impacts of COVID-19.
Innovation Guelph is building prosperity for community well-being by providing mentorship and business support programs and services to help innovative enterprises start, grow and thrive. Innovation Guelph’s business acceleration programs are designed for high-potential start-ups, small- to medium-sized enterprises and women-led businesses across southern Ontario. Innovation Guelph also serves as a one-stop point of access to business support programs and services across the province. www.innovationguelph.ca