About Us

Advocate for Businesses
Support Existing Businesses
Develop a Job Ready Workforce

Our Mission

The Cumberland Business Connector is a business led, not for profit organization. Our focus is to foster a strong business environment in order to strengthen Cumberland County by removing barriers to business, and connecting businesses with the resources they need to be successful.
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Click this image to view a copy of the Annual Report
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Click this image to view our 2020-2021 Strategic Priorities

Our History
Shortly after “Now or Never, An Urgent Call to Action for Nova Scotians” was released, a small group of local business people started meeting to talk about how we could make a significant, lasting difference to the economy of Cumberland County. We looked at the Ivany report and saw the need for businesses to step up and take an active role in revitalizing the economy of Nova Scotia, particularly rural Nova Scotia. 

With encouragement from our local municipal governments the discussion was broadened to include a wide cross section of leaders in Cumberland County.  Discussions lead to a three-pillar strategy on to connect, support and influence existing businesses, youth and government decisions to drive economic development. 

In order to have the most impact and achieve the goals outlined in the three-pillar strategy, the volunteers needed to formalize their structure and governance from an entirely volunteer organization to a board -staff model. 

This is how the Cumberland Business Connector was formed. Deliberately named as that is how we see our role (the Connector), and symbolized by the stylized depiction of the Wallace River bridge in our logo. We incorporated as a not for profit society in 2016 and hired our first employee in the summer of 2017.

Our Structure

Our Directors

​Susan McIsaac
Chair
David Hoffman
Director
Kevin Toth
DIRECTOR
Mary McPhee
Director
David McNairn
Director
Bill Casey
DIRECTOR
Lacey Fisher
DIRECTOR
Michael Stack
DIRECTOR
Don McCormack
DIRECTOR
Andrew Cameron
DIRECTOR

Our Staff

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Jonathan McClelland - CEO. Jonathan has an extensive background in Community Economic Development as well as Business Management.  He has spent 20 years working in rural Nova Scotia as a small business manager, a business consultant and as a business development officer.

He has worked with entrepreneurs in the agricultural, forestry and fishing sectors as well as renewable energy and small manufacturing businesses. He has been involved in business plan development, research and development initiatives, business attraction, and export market development.  This work has included working closely with government departments, industry associations, Chambers of Commerce, Municipalities, and Non-Governmental Organizations. Jonathan has also facilitated board governance training sessions, conflict resolution processes, and strategic planning sessions. 

In addition to his paid employment, Jonathan has sat on various boards of directors including, the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce, Upper Clements Parks, and Medway Community Forest Co-operative.  Jonathan and his wife have five children and reside near Pugwash, Nova Scotia.
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​Emily Haynes - Research Assistant. Emily Haynes grew up in the community of Tidnish and is a graduate of the Business Administration Program at NSCC. 

Along with administrative duties and overseeing the social media platforms her work is heavily centered on creating and implementing entrepreneurship supports and programs. She developed and implemented the Cumberland Business Challenge which gave out $14,000 in cash awards to small businesses owners in the county in February 2020. She also assists with the ongoing forestry sector work and is part of the Policy Committee. In her spare time, she is continuing her education and is working towards her Bachelor of Management - Human Resources Management. 


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