EDCO 2018 Awards of Excellence Recipients Announced

The Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) concluded its 62nd Annual Conference & Showcase with the President’s Dinner and Awards Ceremony announcing the recipients of the 2018 Awards of Excellence.

EDCO’s Awards of Excellence program aims to recognize and celebrate the outstanding work in economic development happening around the Province of Ontario. This year, 98 submissions were received and evaluated by an expert panel of judges with experience in marketing, communications, tourism, and industrial/commercial development.

2019 EDCO President Delia Reiche welcomed over 300 guests to the reception and Master of Ceremony and Adam Growe, renowned Canadian comedian and host of Cash Cab, provided entertainment and announced the recipients.

EDCO’s most prestigious award, the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Economic Development Excellence, was presented to Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Partners Group for the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Partnership. Finalists for the award included Sounds of Guelph, City of Guelph -Tourism Services, and StudentBiz – Developing High School Entrepreneurs, Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre.

The evening honoured the following individuals for economic development leadership:

• Catherine Oosterbaan, Young Influencer of the Year
• Tony Van Bynen, Community Influencer of the Year
• Yvonne Pilon, Digital Influencer of the Year

In the Promotional Awards category, recipients were:

Publications – Print or Electronic, 0 – 50,000 population

• Town of Gananoque for Tourism Investment Booklet
• Perth County for the Perth County Community Profile Series – Honourable Mention

Publications – Print or Electronic, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• Bay of Quinte Discovery Guide, 5th Edition by the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board
• Town of Newmarket 2016-2017 Community Report: Where Character Meets Community, Honourable Mention

Publications – Print or Electronic, 250,000+ population

• Success Makers, City of Hamilton
• Regional Municipality of Durham for Guide to Filming in Durham Region – Honourable Mention

Branding & Advertising, 0 – 50,000 population

• Perth County, #ProsperInPerthCounty
• The Railway City, City of St. Thomas – Honourable Mention

Branding & Advertising, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• Municipality of Chatham-Kent, Community and Attraction Promotion for That’s LivingCK
• City of Guelph Tourism Services, Sounds of Guelph
• Town of Milton, We Are The Story Promotional Video, Honourable Mention

Technology & New Media, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• Town of Oakville, Oakville Opportunities and Investments Virtual Tour
• Town of Newmarket, Where Work Meets Play – A Different Kind of EcDev Blog
• Norfolk County, Live Broadcast Ambassadors – Honourable Mention

Technology & New Media, 250,000+ population

• York Regional Economic Development, York Link
• Waterloo EDC, new www.waterlooedc.ca website – Honourable Mention

Special Events, 0 – 50,000 population

• Perth County, 2018 Tourism Familiarization Tour
• County of Brant, Salute to Brant Business 2018 – Honourable Mention

Special Events, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• The City of North Bay Economic Development, Experience North Bay, Investment and Awareness Events, 2018 Ford World Women’s Curling Championship
• Invest Barrie – City of Barrie, Train in Technology Expo – Honourable Mention

Special Events, 250,000+ population category

• Tourism Hamilton – City of Hamilton, 2018 Canadian Country Music Awards: Host City Initiatives

In the Collaboration and Partnership Awards category, recipients were:

Local Collaboration & Partnership, 0 – 50,000 population

• Town of Minto, Cool Cones Crawl

Local Collaboration & Partnership, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• Corporation of the County of Bruce and Bruce Power, Nuclear Economic Development and Innovation Initiative
• City of Barrie, Meridian Place & Memorial Square Project – Honourable Mention

Local Collaboration & Partnership, 250,000+ population

• Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island and Essex Pelee Island Coast Winegrowers Association for EPIC 1867 – Celebrating 150 Years of Winemaking in Essex County

Regional & Cross-Border Collaboration & Partnership, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Partners Group, Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail Partnership
• Brantford-Brant Business Resource Enterprise Centre, Student Biz – Developing High School Entrepreneurs
• United Counties of Prescott and Russell Economic Development and Tourism, Local Food Counters – Honourable Mention

Regional & Cross-Border Collaboration & Partnership, 250,000+ population

• Workforce Development Board and Strexer Harrop, Knowledge Management System
• Regional Municipality of Durham, Hello Tomorrow: Durham Smart Cities Forum – Honourable Mention

In the Planning and Building Initiatives Awards category, recipients were:

Physical Infrastructure and Redevelopment Initiatives, 0 – 50,000 population

• County of Elgin, Elgincentives Community Improvement Plan

Physical Infrastructure and Redevelopment Initiatives, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• Bruce County, Paisley – The Artistic River Village

Planning & Building Initiatives, Strategic Plans and Initiatives, 0 – 50,000 population

• Town of Innisfil and McSweeney and Associates, Labour Force-based Investment Attraction
• Municipality of South Dundas, South Dundas BR+E Project – Honourable Mention

Planning & Building Initiatives, Strategic Plans and Initiatives, 50,000 – 250,000 population

• The Corporation of the County of Bruce, Project Innovate: Driving Innovation in Bruce County
• Corporation of the County of Bruce, Nuclear Economic Development and Innovation Initiative – Honourable Mention

Planning & Building Initiatives, Strategic Plans and Initiatives. 250,000+ population

• Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Workforce Development, 2018 Progress Report

The City of Owen Sound was voted as the Innovative Community of the Year for the Are You Most? Millenipreneur Recruitment video.

Congratulations to all recipients of the 2018 Awards of Excellence. The projects and initiatives demonstrate extraordinary and innovative best practices in Ontario that are enhancing the economic development capacity in the Province of Ontario, resulting in vibrant, sustainable communities and economies.