Locals Encouraged To Learn More About Economic Development May 9th – 15th
[PETERBOROUGH, ON]: Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) is celebrating the contributions of positive economic development during Economic Development Week from May 9th to 15th, 2021. Economic Development Week was created by the International Economic Development Council in 2016 to recognize the unique role that economic development has in creating vibrant communities with strong economies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLruLp4wqT8“Economic Development is more than job creation. It’s about supporting business and investing in sustainable growth of the local economy through programs, policies, and activities to improve the economic well-being, prosperity and quality of life for residents in a way that will positively affect levels of business activity, employment, income distribution and wealth,” said President & CEO Rhonda Keenan.
While PKED is the lead regional economic development agency, it is not the only entity responsible for the delivery of economic development services. The organization recognizes that collaboration between private, public, and not-for-profit sectors is vital and that many stakeholders make up the overall economic development ecosystem for the region.
“Economic Development is a team sport. PKED works closely with many partners including the Innovation Cluster, Community Futures, Workforce Development Board, Kawartha Manufacturers Association, local Chambers, and BIAs as well as local municipalities toward the collective vision of seeing Peterborough & the Kawarthas become the most sustainable and innovative community and economy in Ontario.” She added.
Last week, PKED presented a newly formatted quarterly update to City and County Council highlighting key activities undertaken by the organization since January. This was the first of a series of activities planned for 2021 aimed at improving awareness of the work being done to support the local economy and challenges to overcome for improved economic prosperity. These include updates to www.peterboroughed.ca with improved information about PKED’s programs and services, new and improved blogs, success stories, and sector profiles as well as innovative improvements to www.thekawarthas.ca to better serve the visitor economy post-COVID-19.
PKED is encouraging locals to view the award-winning “Economic Development Matters” video which provides an overview of why investing in Economic Development is important to communities. The video was a collaboration between several provincial, national, and international economic development organizations.
For media inquiries contact Kelly Jessup, Director of Marketing & Communications, 705.743.0777 Ext. 2130 or kjessup@peterboroughed.ca.
About PKED
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) is the lead regional economic development agency for the City and County of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1999, PKED is a not-for-profit organization that is funded to deliver economic development and tourism services through a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Peterborough and the County of Peterborough and is governed by a volunteer board of directors made of up to 13 members of the local community, including Chief Administrative Officers for the County and City of Peterborough.
PKED’s Mandate
To facilitate an environment which will contribute to the creation of wealth, the growth of new employment and the development of an improving quality of life for area residents. PKED will promote, facilitate, and develop a strong unified economic development presence for the Greater Peterborough area (being the entire geographic region consisting of the County of Peterborough and the City of Peterborough). PKED will work cooperatively with local municipalities and other organizations to ensure that investment opportunities throughout the region are effectively developed. PKED, in working to fulfill its general mandate, will be guided by the corporations’ strategic plan.
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council is the leading international association for professional economic developers. IEDC supports the work of more than 5,000 economic developers to create high-quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their regions. Our members are employed in a wide variety of settings including local, state, provincial, and federal governments, public-private partnerships, universities, and a variety of other institutions.