LITTLE CURRENT—A group of 18 not-for-profit business resource organizations were on hand to greet existing and aspiring business operators and provide information about their services during the Manitoulin Island and LaCloche Business Resource Showcase held at the Little Current Recreation Centre on Wednesday, April 25.
“This is our regional business showcase and we are bringing in a lot of services that are available to businesses in the LaCloche Manitoulin area,” said LAMBAC executive director Michael Addison shortly after the start of the showcase. “These are services that are essentially free to businesses, a lot of information, and we’ve got a good turnout—people are arriving early—and we are hoping to have a good day.”
“We have between 70 to 80 people registered to attend the event and lots of walk-ins,” said Diane Newman, LAMBAC economic development officer. “We have a lot of excitement about the social media and succession planning sessions we have planned for this afternoon.”
Many of the faces wandering among the booths are familiar Island business people, but there were also plenty of aspiring entrepreneurs in the mix as well.
Jonas Aiabens and Jonathan Odjig were two young men from Wiikwemkoong who were sourcing information for a contracting business they want to start up who found the ability to connect with many of the business service providers all in one place very useful.
Ms. Newman noted that the Regional Business Showcase takes place every two years, alternating with the Manitoulin Trade Fair, and services both Manitoulin and the LaCloche regions.
Among those showcasing their services were Cambrian College, Collège Boréal, Contact North, Enaadmaaggehjik (Wikwemikong Development Corporation), FedNor, Green Economy North, Kenjgewin Teg, LAMBAC itself, Manitoulin-Sudbury District Services Board, Manitoulin Tourism Association, Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs), the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, Société Économique de l’Ontario, Service Canada, Waubetek, Women of Manitoulin Entrepreneur Network and Workforce Planning for Sudbury and Manitoulin.
