President's Message
Dear EDCO Members,
It is an honour to serve as President of the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO) for the year ahead. I am grateful for the trust you have placed in me and for the dedication and leadership of our Board of Directors, committee volunteers, and the EDCO staff team. Your commitment ensures that EDCO remains a strong, respected voice for economic development across the province.
This year marks an important moment for our association. Economic developers across Ontario are navigating shifting realities—housing affordability, labour pressures, infrastructure demands, climate transition, technological disruption, and ongoing global uncertainty. These challenges continue to reshape the expectations placed on our profession and the communities we serve.
Against this backdrop, EDCO is undertaking one of its most significant initiatives: the development of a new multi‑year strategic plan.
This plan will guide the future of our association and ensure we remain responsive to the needs of members in a rapidly evolving environment. It will define the priorities, investments, and partnerships required for EDCO to continue strengthening the economic development profession and supporting practitioners across all regions of Ontario.
Your insights, grounded in real‑world experience, will be critical to developing a strategic plan that reflects the realities of communities both large and small, rural and urban, northern and southern. This is an opportunity to collectively imagine what the next chapter of EDCO should look like and how we can best position the profession for the future.
As we undergo this work, EDCO will continue advancing the programs, advocacy, and professional development that members rely on. We remain committed to elevating the role of economic development at the provincial level, creating spaces for collaboration and learning, and supporting both emerging and experienced practitioners. But this year, these efforts will be anchored within a broader visioning process—one that will set the foundation for EDCO's next phase of growth.
Economic developers play a critical, often unseen role in shaping the long‑term resilience and competitiveness of Ontario's communities. Your work drives investment, supports entrepreneurship, strengthens local industries, and enhances quality of life. The new strategic plan represents an opportunity to recognize that impact and chart a path that ensures our profession remains strong, confident, and future‑ready.
Thank you for the dedication, professionalism, and passion you bring to this field. I look forward to working with you throughout this important year as we build a clear, strategic, and ambitious direction for EDCO—and for the economic future of Ontario.
Sincerely,
Jeff Loney
President
Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO)
