Renfrew County Community Futures is touting the results of a new financing program helping to grow our local economy.
Among the successes they detail in their latest annual report, the organization highlights some of the local businesses who received a share their CANTrade program, which launched locally in June 2025.
$225,000 in loans were deployed over the past year to help entrepreneurs bolster operations in the face of changing trade conditions by building supply chains closer to home, exploring new markets, and developing new services.
Sid Thompson, the founder of Sid’s Sewing in Renfrew, says the specialized industrial sewing equipment he secured with a $25,000 CANTrade loan has made him more efficient and improved turnaround time for clients in the local outdoor recreation and tourism sector who rely on him for repairs and custom modifications.
Also profiled in the report is pRAWper Pet Treats’ Alex Newcombe, who adds that financing through the program helped to double production capacity for their freeze-dried and dehydrated treats, growing their business astronomically over the course of a year.
Other businesses to benefit from the program include Deep River-based book and gift shop Saturday Morning and the Mountain View Hotel in Barry’s Bay.
Since its inception in 1986, Renfrew County Community Futures has invested over $50 million into businesses across the region.
(written by Kasey Egan)
