It may be called a “Teeny Tiny Summit,” but Haliburton County’s tourism manager has big aspirations for the upcoming event in Minden.
“Teeny Tiny Summits” are organized by the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA). The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) introduced the initiative in 2016 as a forum for discussing scale-appropriate economic development strategies for Ontario’s smallest communities. Since then, more than 2,750 people have participated from across the province.
Angelica Ingram, manager of tourism for Haliburton County, is currently gearing up for the Minden summit, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 6 at the Minden Community Centre, located at 55 Parkside St. The theme of the event is “creating community wealth and well-being.”
“The Teeny Tiny Summit is an important event for Minden because it will showcase some incredible examples of economic development happening in a small, rural community in Ontario,” Ingram told kawarthaNOW.
“Small communities often face certain challenges that larger urban areas do not, and hosting a Teeny Tiny Summit will highlight some success stories that can be duplicated in other teeny tiny places throughout the province. We hope to share ideas, facilitate great discussion, and celebrate successes at this event.”
Teeny Tiny Summits share practical examples, lessons learned, and community economic development tactics that are scale-appropriate for Ontario’s smallest communities. This year’s edition will feature a series of virtual and in-person events featuring keynote speakers that will bring value to each of the topics as well as community examples, according to OMAFRA.
In Minden, the agenda includes greetings from the OMAFRA, ROMA representatives, and local politicians.
Keynote speaker Peter Kenyon, a social entrepreneur and community enthusiast, will explore the topic of “what builds great communities.” He will speak about proactive leadership and how building a positive community mindset creates “a can-do community.”
He will also discuss how to strengthen community ownership, engagement, and collaborative actions. He will share examples of how to create opportunities that support the local economy, create diverse employment opportunities, and build local economic ownership.
Kenyon has worked with over 1,000 rural communities throughout Australia and overseas seeking to facilitate fresh and creative ways that stimulate community and economic renewal. He received the Senior Australian of the Year Award for Western Australia in 2017.
During another session called “enabling housing in teeny tiny places,” Paces for People, a local charitable organization, will highlight the recent success it achieved with a community bonds fundraising initiative.
The afternoon includes a session called “Creating Community Wealth and Well-Being – Through Youth and Local Initiatives.”
“We have selected a number of dynamic guest speakers to showcase what a beautiful and dedicated community we have — one filled with active volunteers, enthusiastic entrepreneurs, and dedicated residents who all share a pride of place,” Ingram said.
The county’s economic development and tourism department has been working with OMAFRA and ROMA “to put together an engaging event that we hope will inspire other communities like ours,” she added.
“The best thing that could happen as a result of the Teeny Tiny Summit is guests leave feeling motivated and challenged to bring some of the ideas presented back to their communities and workplaces,” Ingram said. “We hope thoughtful discussion is had and best practices are shared. It’s a great opportunity for networking and for learning and we hope everyone has a great day.”
ROMA has committed to multi-year support of the Teeny Tiny program. For additional information about the Teeny Tiny program, visit teenytinysummits.omafrabdb-events.ca.
For additional details and to register for the Minden summit, visit myhaliburtonhighlands.com/doing-business/teeny-tiny-summit-minden/
Past delegates of the Minden event have included municipal officials and staff, members of business support organizations, representatives of community organizations, and community volunteers, such as economic development advisory group members.
