Click on the Directory button in the lower right-hand corner of the home page to find a surprisingly large listing of businesses in the County. There are 1,696 of them, searchable by name, business type or community.

The Economic Development and Tourism Group within Elgin County’s Community and Cultural Services department established the Service Directory in October 2008. It is an outstanding, one-stop resource and serves as an example of how vibrant, active and diverse the business community is.

“Our Web site is very active in attracting outside investors, tourists and business interests,” says Kate Burns, Economic Development & Tourism Services assistant, who set up the Service Directory and is now working to expand it.

“There are a lot of people going to the site and if they are looking to visit Elgin County, they will click on the Service Directory to find businesses and services, such as a place to eat or stay.”

Ms. Burns initially populated the Service Directory with data from the County’s tourist association, Chambers of Commerce and phone book. Each one of the listed businesses has been assigned log-in identifiers so they can enter the directory site, either through the Progressive By Nature portal or directly at www.ylm.ca/elgincounty, and update their own information.

Any new business wishing to be listed can also obtain identifiers via the site by sending an e-mail to Economic Development and Tourism Services.

The department is planning to expand the site by early 2009 to include new partners and might make it possible for listed businesses to add marketing information, Ms. Burns says.

“The further along our marketing strategy goes, the more popular this Web site and the Service Directory will become.”