Municipal staff are hoping to develop a program that is specifically geared to help Chatham-Kent-based entrepreneurs. However, some feedback is needed.
Local entrepreneurs -- or those who are curious about becoming one -- are encouraged to fill out an online survey. Andrew Tompsett, marketing and communications officer with Chatham-Kent Economic Development, said the survey will help specify what the needs in services are, which will help in the development of a business incubator program.
"It's a space that businesses can actually go into along with the supports to help them advance and grow their business," he said. "The survey is going to do thing such as give us an idea of what kind of mentorship they may need, what types of programs, what kind of services. It's quite an extensive survey, it does take a bit of time to fill out but that information is really going to help guide the direction of the program."
Tompsett said the interest from local residents in this type of program is high, adding they have already received positive feedback regarding the survey. Incubator programs may vary in the types of services offered in different communities, however, they have the common goal of creating and retaining businesses and diversifying local economies.
"There is a group of people who are looking to create this incubator program and have a co-location space. What they want to be able to do is create it based on what the Chatham-Kent needs are," he said. "So there's a lot of models in terms of what business incubators and accelerators exist in other communities but they want to create something that is a Chatham-Kent solution."
Tompsett said the program is expected to be up and running by the late spring or early summer of 2019.
"This is something that is going to be happening soon," he said. "This isn't just one of those dreams that's three years in the making, we're talking about something that is going to be just a few months in the making so there will be actionable items coming out of this."
The last day to fill out the survey is on March 22.