Business Retention and Expansion Final Report - City of Brantford

15Project IntroductionThe Business Retention and Expansion survey project is a community-based economic development tool designed tocreate capacity within communities to address the stability and growth of the local economy. One of the keycomponents to this process is an intensive, structured business/organization visitation program that includes one-on-onesurveying to identify issues and opportunities. The program does not stop and start with the surveying component, italso includes the implementation of strategic actions that address the outcomes of the survey analysis; on-goingdiligence with one-on-one business/organization visitations; and requires a cooperative effort betweenbusiness/organizations, local government, and partners in the community to help the area retain jobs and createopportunities for a diversified local economic base.The Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) initiative was first introduced in Ontario through the Ministry ofAgriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), in 1997. Ministry staff researched best practice models from the UnitedStates that were administrated by the Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service of the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture which became the foundation for the provincial program. A cross-section of 12 communitiesrepresentative of both northern and southern Ontario participated in a series of pilot surveys in 1997, and from thispioneering work the program as grown to involve nearly 100 Ontario communities. (Appendix 1)“Business development and job creation are key factors in developing healthy and vibrant communities. Depending onthe characteristics of a community’s economy, anywhere from 40 to 90 per cent of new jobs come from existingbusinesses.” 1 The communities of Brantford and the County of Brant along with Six Nations have been engaged ineconomic development initiatives for several years through a variety of programs and support services in an effort tomaintain and grow a healthy economic base that results in job retention and creation as well as increased assessment.One of the tools that have been deployed in the area is the Business Retention and Expansion Ontario model that wasfirst introduced in the Brantford area in 1998 when the Economic Development Department of the City of Brantford, inpartnership with the County of Brant, conducted the first survey geared to the manufacturing/industrial sector. The 1998survey project resulted in the City’s Economic Development Department dedicating a staff person to Business Retentionand Expansion, which continues to be identified as a key component in the Brantford Economic Development AdvisoryCommittee Action Plan.The program was launched as an avenue for communication between industry and local government and has createdopportunities for direct firm assistance and increased awareness of available resources available to local industry. Theprogram assists community leaders in their work of developing strategies, setting priorities and establishing effectiveeconomic development programs aimed at retention and expansion of businesses and jobs in the City of Brantford, andthe County of Brant.Further, a Business Retention and Expansion working committee consisting of representatives from the three levels ofgovernment; Municipal (Economic Development Departments for both City and County), Provincial (Ministry of Small1 Business Retention and Expansion Resource Manual, Taking Care of Business in Rural Ontario, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,Food, and RuralAffairs.