Province provides funding to help brand Tecumseh and Lakeshore shopping and dining districts

The province has announced up to $30,000 in funding to help businesses in Tecumseh and Lakeshore enhance their viability, as well as expand and attract new investment and offer new goods and services.  

The funds are being provided to the Town of Tecumseh in partnership with the Municipality of Lakeshore and the Town of Tecumseh Business Improvement Area (BIA) through the Rural Economic Development program (RED) to establish branding for three separate areas of Tecumseh--Lakeshore as shopping and dining districts.  

Windsor -- Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie says following the COVID-19 pandemic, the intent is help revitalize in smaller communities the economic development potential.

"So that we don't lose services to larger centres, we don't lose businesses to larger centres and keep services and businesses operating close to home. And so truly this is an opportunity for us to establish a great brand for our local businesses to use in their marketing."

The fund will support three primary commercial districts: 

-Tecumseh Main Street (the area along Tecumseh Road from the Town's westerly limit to one block east of its intersection with Lesperance Rd.), 

-Lesperance South (the commercial area immediately south of the intersection of Lesperance Rd. & County Road 22) 

-Manning Road - Amy Croft (the area south of St. Gregory's Road to County Road 22, extending westerly along Tecumseh Rd and easterly along Amy Croft Drive).

Tecumseh Mayor Gary McNamara says they're seeing continued growth within the supported areas.

"It's basically an opportunity for our residents and certainly both municipalities to be able to share in commercial expansion within that region."

McNamara says the funding is laying down the foundation for the future.

"When we look at the investment that is going to come from both Lakeshore, Tecumseh and the County of Essex, we're talking multi-millions of dollars. Housing developments, more commercial development, road capacity bill, there's a whole host of things. This is kind of the precursor to all of that happening to augment what's already there."

Lakeshore Mayor Tracey Bailey says this an area where the two BIA's can work together collaboratively.

"This is a great opportunity to demonstrate leadership, to develop synchronized branding in an area where as Mayor McNamara said it's a boundary but it really is one seamless delivery of service that happens. So for us to create those synergies and show leadership in this regard is a fantastic opportunity."

The RED program supports projects that diversify rural economies, retain skilled workers, and create jobs in local communities. 

The province is investing over $4.3 million in cost-share funding through the 2023 intake, which will support up to 80 projects across the province.