The Town of Minto will be hosting the Teeny Tiny Summit next month, which aims to help rural communities improve in small but effective ways.
The summit is put on in partnership with the Ministry of Rural Affairs, the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, and will bring together community leaders, municipal representatives, economic development professionals, and regional partners from across rural Ontario.
Minto's Director of Economic and Community Development Belinda Wick-Graham says the purpose of the summit is the betterment of small, rural areas.
"It brings people together to talk about the topics that are affecting small communities at this time, small rural communities especially. So just sharing ways that people are addressing those challenges," Wick-Graham shared.
The summit will be held May 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Clifford Community Hall. Wick-Graham says there will be some key topics that are focused on during the summit.
"The three kind of key topics that we're going to be talking about, outside of the overall theme, which is 'The Power of Community: Building Hope in Uncertain Times', which we're living in today, we have the key topics of youth engagement and leadership, downtown revitalization in small places and then collaboration, the power of working together," she said.
During the summit, participants will participate in sessions showcasing regional examples of community-led economic development.
"So each of these sessions are either going to be lightning talks or panels where we have asked people across our region who are doing really cool work in those spaces to come and share their experiences, lessons learned, etc., and really to inspire the conversation and give ideas for other people," Wick-Graham added. "It's just to kind of show that successful projects and programs don't have to be big budget items, they can just be small ideas and the power of people working together for a positive outcome can be really special."
The summit will open with a keynote address by Leslie Fournier, who will challenge participants to rethink how civic pride, storytelling, collaboration, and creativity contribute to resilient, hopeful communities. Through realworld examples and practical insights, the keynote will explore how communities can build momentum and confidence using the assets they already have.
Speakers and presenters from across Wellington, Perth, Huron, Grey, and Bruce counties will share their expertise on community improvement, ranging from youth hubs and downtown revitalizations, to grant programs and much more.
Additional event details, including registration information and the full agenda, are available at: https://www.town.minto.on.ca/business/teeny-tiny-summit
