Talia Switzer,

Lash Envy

Kelley White,

Hairstylist

"Community Futures helped us achieve the dream of being self-employed! Without them, we would not have been able to renovate our space, purchase inventory, and feel confident that this was financially doable. We owe a huge thanks to Community Futures for not only helping us better our businesses, but Bancroft too!" -Talia Switzer, Lash Envy and Kelley White, Hair Stylist

“In a fast growing competitive industry, we are forever grateful to Community Futures for support to our enterprise. It has fast tracked us many years in what I plan to achieve, and has allowed us to get to the next level and become a major player in a competitive market. Thank you for everything.”
Logan Krupa, Co-Owner/Brew Master, Bancroft Brewing Company

The Bancroft Brewing Company will benefit from an investment announced April 10, 2018 by Community Futures Development Corporation of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin (CFDC), and Mike Bossio, Member of Parliament for Hastings−Lennox and Addington.

 The CFDC of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin is pleased to provide support for the expansion of a craft beer brewery with an investment of $86,700 under the Eastern Ontario Development Program’s Business Development stream. Through this investment, the Bancroft Brewing Company has expanded its manufacturing facility, purchased of a state-of-the-art automated control system and additional equipment to double brewing capacity and expand the product line. This expansion has been instrumental in sustaining five jobs and is projected to create two to three new full- time jobs in the near future.

Although brewing is one of Canada’s oldest industries, the Bancroft Brewing Company is the first establishment to commercially produce beer and spirits in Bancroft. The company is positioned to capitalize on the recent resurgence of the craft beer market and the business has become a desirable destination in the region.

Read more ...

Coloured Aggregates in Marmora Receives  Eastern Ontario Development Program Support

“We would like to thank Community Futures for their support through the EODP to expand our Marmora plant. This project has enabled us to grow our product line allowing us to access previously untapped global markets.”
Jeff Oravecz, Owner, Coloured Aggregates

Coloured Aggregates will benefit from an investment announced today by Community Futures Development Corporation of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin (CFDC), and Mike Bossio, Member of Parliament for Hastings−Lennox and Addington.

For 45 years, Coloured Aggregates, a family-run business, has served a wide range of professionals in the pre-cast, architectural block, concrete ready-mix, paving, roofing and pole industries, to name just a few. The company, which houses a state-of-the-art onsite lab, continues to quarry, supply, and distribute an impressive range of colours, shades and mineral types of crushed aggregates and sand.

The CFDC of North & Central Hastings and South Algonquin is pleased to provide support with an investment of $100,000 under the Eastern Ontario Development Program’s Business Development stream. Through this investment, Coloured Aggregates will expand its services and production at its world-class processing plant in Marmora. The funding will support the purchase of a computerized sorting system that will allow for the creation of new and improved products to reach new and existing markets. The development of the new product line will strengthen and maintain six jobs and create two new full-time jobs. The project will have a beneficial spin-off effect as the company hired local contractors for the construction and installation of the brand new production line.

Read more ...

 “Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.” Demosthenes, Statesman & Orator, Ancient Greece.

Hidden Goldmine Bakery, owned by Cheryl and Brad Freeman, established in 2004, demonstrates this approach. The Hidden Goldmine Bakery was honoured earlier this fall with the Members' Choice Award at the annual Awards Gala dinner of Community Futures Ontario. Cheryl's grandmother's brown sugar fudge recipe was the first stepping stone of evolution for this small business, which has continued to steadily grow over the past 12 years. The original Hidden Goldmine Fudge Nugget not only aligns with the history of their area (the first gold mine in Ontario) but it was immediately identified that this style of baking triggered a "just like Grandma used to make" memory for their customers and that selling this product, and the resulting nostalgic experience, was a winning idea.

This is a true grassroots story. Cheryl and her daughters would sell their baking at craft sales and fairs within their local communities. It's from these humble beginnings the Freemans created a small bakery (just 400 square feet) that was built onto their family home in 2007. No doubt, many of you local readers will recall visiting the bakery in those early days and the warmth associated with being welcomed into their home, literally.

Read more ...