The Centre for Workforce Development (CFWD) is expanding its Local Board services for the 2026–2027 fiscal year to include Renfrew and Lanark counties. The organization will continue to serve its existing catchment area of Hastings, Prince Edward and Lennox & Addington counties, broadening its regional labour market coverage.
Sandi Ramsay is the CEO of the Centre, which prior to 1997 was known as the East Central Ontario Training Board (ECOTB), and later rebranded in 2016 to its current name.
The CFWD is governed by a board of 12 volunteer directors and is dedicated to conducting labour market research and implementing workforce development services, focusing largely on rural areas — which makes Renfrew County a natural fit for its expansion into the region.
Ramsay points out that while the organization is fairly new to the region, there has not yet been an opportunity to fully explore the many possibilities that exist. However, plans are well underway to build on the strong track record the CFWD has established in other regions.
Prior to the CFWD’s expansion, the Labour Market Group of Renfrew and Lanark operated through Algonquin College in the region, with whom Ramsay and her team met monthly for idea-sharing sessions. This means she and her team are already familiar with many of the key players in the area and are ready to hit the ground running:
Ramsay is well aware of the challenges in rural regions, including employment opportunities, skills development and technological barriers in less densely populated areas compared with major centres such as Ottawa or Toronto. Affordable housing and childcare remain key concerns across all regions, including locally, and healthcare is also a priority as the organization begins its work in Renfrew County.
Another key relationship the CFWD plans to build on is with Garrison Petawawa, which Ramsay says is familiar territory for the organization:
Ramsay notes that decreases in military enrolment have been seen across the board, including in Petawawa, but says that trend is now reversing — welcome news for the country:
Ramsay and her team plan to continue working closely with Algonquin College, as they have in the past, and look forward to strengthening those partnerships through the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.
For more information on the CFWD and its activities, please click the link below.
(Written By: Richard Evans)
