Prescott-Russell’s community-development organization says it intends to pursue federal assistance aimed at businesses and communities hurt by the latest U.S. tariff measures.
PRCDC executive director John Candie briefed United Counties council Aug. 26 as part of a broader progress report on the region’s economic-development strategy and the need to prepare local firms for a more volatile trading environment.
“Our team is already working on those initiatives to make sure Prescott and Russell gets its fair share,” Candie told council.
The region’s exposure is easy to see. Agriculture, agri-food, manufacturing and transportation all depend heavily on cross-border markets, inputs or customers, so sudden tariff changes can hit rural employers quickly.
PRCDC is also working on a strategic-positioning project intended to help local companies diversify markets, attract investment and reduce their vulnerability to a single trading relationship.
Candie told council that a renewed strategy is an investment in the region’s ability to “anticipate change, diversify the economic base” and capitalize on new opportunities.
Regional officials are considering stronger support for agriculture and agribusiness, broader destination marketing and ways to make more of Prescott-Russell’s location between Ottawa, Montreal and the Mirabel aerospace cluster.
The local test will be whether the programs eventually reach individual farms, small businesses and employers in communities such as Russell and Embrun — and how quickly help can move if tariff pressure produces layoffs or cash-flow problems.