Stormont, Dundas, and Glengarry (SDG) Counties is working with regional healthcare partners on a regional campaign aimed at attracting healthcare professionals to the area and helping newcomers settle into the communities where they will work. SDG Counties Economic Development Officer Kat Rendek provided an update on the Great River, Great Future Medical Recruitment Campaign and Community Orientation Project to Council on Monday, August 24.
The project is a regional healthcare recruitment campaign and community orientation initiative being carried out in partnership with the Great River Ontario Health Team. It involves 19 regional partners and has a total budget of $187,000, funded through partner contributions and Rural Ontario Development funding.
SDG Counties has contributed $10,000, along with in-kind administrative support. The project runs from January 2026 through March 2027.
The initiative brings together health sector and municipal partners from across the region to coordinate recruitment efforts and share resources. As part of the campaign, bilingual marketing materials have been developed to attract healthcare professionals to the region.
The campaign officially launched on June 26 at Winchester District Memorial Hospital, where partners were joined by Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) Nolan Quinn. Representatives from SDG Counties, the City of Cornwall, Russell Township, North Dundas, Akwesasne Health, Winchester District Memorial Hospital, Cornwall Community Hospital, and the Rideau St. Lawrence Family Health Team were among those involved in the launch.
The project has three main goals: regional community promotion, collaborative recruitment efforts, and welcoming and orientation for new residents.
In the first month, Rendek said the initiative generated 23 inquiries and employment referrals, with one new hire by an SDG employer confirmed and new referral partnerships as a direct result of the campaign. She noted that the campaign’s online material has also generated significant engagement, including 60,000 video play-throughs, 533 website and careers-page views following a social media advertisement, and 81 unique clicks on job postings.
A major component of the project is not simply recruiting healthcare workers, but introducing them to the region. Four regional “discover tours” have been organized for people who have relocated to the area for work in the health sector within the past 12 months.
The first tour is scheduled for August 29 and includes South Glengarry, North Glengarry, and Cornwall. The tour scheduled for September 12 will cover South Stormont, South Glengarry, Akwesasne, and Cornwall, with the October 24 tour planned for North Stormont, North Dundas, South Dundas, and South Stormont. The final tour will take place on November 7 and include North Dundas, North Stormont, North Glengarry, and Russell Township.
The tours are intended to showcase more than healthcare workplaces, with housing, schools, recreation and other community resources forming part of the orientation process.
The campaign’s next phase will include increased social media and print advertising, additional video and photography content, and participation in more recruitment events and career fairs. New recruitment booklets are also planned, featuring employer profiles, career opportunities, and community highlights.
The project is expected to continue through March 2027, with SDG Counties administration planning to provide Council with a further update in mid-2027.
