CF CEDAR LAKE NEWSLETTERS

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's November 2025 Newsletter CF_Cedar_Lake_November_2025_Newsletter.pdf

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's July 2025 Newsletter CF_Newsletter_July_2025.pdf

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's May 2025 Newsletter CF_Newsletter_May_2025.pdf

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's January (Winter) 2025 Newsletter CF_Newsletter_Winter_2025.pdf

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's Winter 2024 Newsletter CF_Cedar_Lake_Winter_2024_Newsletter.pdf

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's Fall 2024 Newsletter CF_Newsletter_Fall_2024.pdf

Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's July 2024 Newsletter   CF_Cedar_Lake_July_2024_Newsletter

GROWING CONNECTIONS: THE TRI-COMMUNITY WEBSITE 

Please click here to access "Growing Connections: The Tri-Community Website" Growing Connections: The Tri-Community Website

BUSINESS NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY RESULTS

The data collection for the Business Needs Assessment project was completed on December 15, 2023. CF Cedar Lake partnered with the Business Seminar students at UCN for the  data analysis phase, which was concluded on May 30, 2024. The analysis results were shared with invited guests from the business community during a presentation on the same day.

Following the presentation, recommendations based on the findings were discussed at the Economic Development Roundtable meeting on June 25, 2024. The upcoming meeting of the Economic Development Roundtable is scheduled for early August.

One of the initial recommendations stemming from the survey involved creating an Accommodation listing for the Tr-Community. This detailed list can now be accessed on the Town of The Pas’ website. The compilation and organization of this list was overseen by CF Cedar Lake who will continue to update the list. Please visit the Town of The Pas website to view the list of accommodations. 

2024-2025 INVESTING IN OUR FUTURES GRANT

COMMUNITY FUTURES CEDAR LAKE REGION ANNOUNCES THE 2024-2025 INVESTING IN OUR FUTURES (IIOF) GRANT PROGRAM

Between January 2022 and March 2024, CF Cedar Lake awarded over $147 thousand dollars in grant money to 36 projects in our region. “We are quite pleased with the success of the Investing in Our Futures Program (IIOF). We have modified it so that we can offer it over a number of years,” commented Joe Cote, General Manager of CF Cedar Lake. “The program has been quite beneficial to the groups who have received the grants. IIOF Grant dollars provided funding for benches to be installed in the gazebos throughout the Cormorant community. The Town of Grand Rapids was able to offer a FoodSafe certification workshop for their community members. The community of  Dawson Bay received funding to install an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) which is used to help those experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, to name just a few projects. We are so pleased to be able to help make a difference in the Cedar Lake communities,” continues Cote.

This year, projects submitted for consideration will be funded on a matching basis, up to a maximum of

$2,000. The grant is open to community councils, community organizations, First Nations organizations, non-profit groups, and schools, all of which must be located in the CF Cedar Lake service region. For- profit businesses and business organizations are not eligible to apply. Preference will be given to first time applicants; however previous grant recipients are welcome to apply, providing the funds will be used toward a new project and not one that was previously funded.

IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE:

• April 1, 2024 to March 1, 2025 – the eligible dates for project expenses to be incurred
• February 1, 2025 – the deadline to apply for the grant, or as long as the funds are available
• March 15, 2025 – Final report with photographs and receipts to be submitted

For more information about the 2024-2025 Investing in Our Futures Grant Program, and to access the application form, please contact Sandra Shapiro, Development Officer, 204-627-5452 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 Please click here for the IIOF Information and Application package IIOF_2024-2025_Information_and_Application_Package.pdf

  Please click here to view CF Cedar Lake's Winter 2024 Newsletter CF_Cedar_Lake_Winter_2024_Newsletter.pdf

BUSINESS NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY

Community Futures Cedar Lake Region launched the 2023 Business Needs Assessment Survey in April. The purpose of the survey was to reach out to as many businesses and organizations in the Tri-Community as possible. We wanted to assess the business climate of the area by identifying and examining current issues facing businesses. With the results from the survey, we hope to build and strengthen relationships with our businesses and community organizations, to support them in their growth and to identify ways to improve the business climate in the community.

“We want to examine what is positive and what challenges the business community is facing,” explains Joe Cote, CF Cedar Lake’s General Manager. “Our hope is that by working in partnership with community organizations and businesses, we will be able to develop an action based strategic plan for community development in terms of job retention, job creation, business creation and succession planning.”

“We sat down and took a look at what CF Cedar Lake has accomplished in its 26 years in the community,” continues Cote. “And to be honest, the numbers surprised us!”

In terms of business development, in 26 years, CF Cedar Lake has approved 344 loans in the Cedar Lake region, (267 in the Tri-Community and 77 in the rest of their service area). This translates to over $5.7 million in loans for the Tri-Community, and over $1.7 million for the rest of the region. We have helped create and/or maintain 1385 jobs (1100 local and 285 in the service area). When you include the dollars leveraged in the communities, you can add in over $3 million dollars that businesses have themselves invested. Putting all of this together, that’s over $10.6 million dollars invested in our communities.

CF Cedar Lake does more than business loans. We are members of regional groups who have a common goal to develop the North. We provide support and advice to potential, new and existing business in terms of planning and helping them explore financial opportunities. We have also invested in our communities in terms of grants and sponsorships. In terms of dollars, we invested over $212,000 in our communities, which, when you factor in the dollars leveraged, works out to over $1.3 million dollars.

Our big project over the last two years, was the “Investing in Our Futures” grant. Due to available funds at the time, we were able to provide eligible community organizations with grants of up to $5000 for their projects. We helped to fund the new stairs and wheelchair ramp at The Pas & Area Animal Shelter, the “Welcome to The Pas” sign on the south side of town (with the one on the north side to go up soon), and helped fund the new pump house at Ralls Island Park, to name just a few of the projects. Between January 2022 and November 2022, we provided almost $142 thousand in grant money to 33 projects in our region.

In terms of sponsorships, we are a strong supporter of the Northern Manitoba Trappers’ Festival, both in terms of funding and our time. Both Joe Cote and Sandra Shapiro have worked on the creation and construction of the Ice Capp for the last two years, and Sandra runs the Labatt/Wescana Ice Bar during the Festival. We provided the funds necessary for the purchase of new binoculars for the new viewing platform at the Opasquia Trails Boardwalk, and are looking forward to attending their official grand opening.

In addition to the above, we have organized various workshops in our communities, whether on our own or in partnership with other Community Futures offices. We have offered Food Handler Safety certificate courses, introductions to bookkeeping and cash management, a business succession seminar. In November 2022, we partnered with CF North Central and NACCA, and offered an Indigenous Women’s Entrepreneur Program. The program was well attended and, as a highlight, the 22 women who participated in the program, received Chromebooks as a gift and a tool to use in their businesses!

CF Cedar lake is extremely excited for the completion of the 2023 Business Needs Assessment survey. We look forward to working with our partners to develop and operationalize plans that will benefit our communities.