DOVER-FOXCROFT – Piscataquis County economic development officials are piggybacking marketing efforts with Eastern Maine Development Corp.

Mark Scarano, executive director of the Piscataquis County Economic Development Council, and three council members will join members of the Bangor Regional Economic Development Association and EMDC officials at the Quebec Winter Carnival on Feb. 13-15.

The carnival will give Maine officials an opportunity to meet with corporate owners and businesses that might want to expand to eastern Maine.

“I think it’s a good team partnership with EMDC and the Bangor area,” Scarano said Wednesday. This is the first time Piscataquis County economic development officials have attended the event, he noted.

In the past, PCEDC has attended other trade shows and met with corporate officials nationwide, but because of a lack of state marketing funds this year, attraction efforts are limited to New England, Quebec and the Maritimes, according to Scarano.

“All is not lost,” Scarano said, adding that regional officials see great potential in businesses close to Maine’s borders expanding here. The Quebec-Maritime strategy has been championed by EMDC, he said.

Since the closing of Dexter Shoe Co.’s manufacturing operations in Milo and Dexter, county officials have been working to entice other businesses to the region to fill the void. They also are seeking a tenant for the Dover-Foxcroft Shopping Plaza to fill the void left by Ames Department Store.

An effort also is under way to encourage the Canadian owners of Pleasant River Lumber Co. to expand their sawmill operation on Milo Road. Resolutions of support for the proposed $20 million expansion have been signed by Atkinson, Monson, Abbot, Greenville, Brownville, Sangerville and the Piscataquis County commissioners.