Summer is in Full Swing!

It's been a busy start to summer across The Blue Mountains and the Town's Economic Development Staff have been working on key projects such as the 2024 intake of the Community Improvement Plan and the second annual Open Fields Farm Tour. 

Newsletter Highlights:

  • Business Spotlight Series - Call for Businesses
  • Open Fields Farm Tour
  • Celebrate Your Business
  • 2024 Community Improvement Plan
  • Funding Support for Local Business Associations
  • Upcoming Events & Training Opportunities

We trust you’ll find the resources and information provided valuable. As always, you can reach out to us with your comments, concerns or questions regarding the Town. Connect with the team and email us using the link located at the bottom of the e-newsletter.

Sincerely,

Your Economic Development Team

Tim Hendry, Manager of Communications & Economic Development

Allan Gibbons, Communications & Economic Development Coordinator

Business Spotlight Series

We have been excited to partner with local businesses to help share your stories through the Town's Business Spotlight Series. Over 17 businesses have been featured on Explore Blue and promoted on the Town's Facebook and Instagram accounts.

The goal is to give residents with a unique look behind the scenes at local businesses in our community - all in an effort to help encourage and drive local sales. 

To read the business spotlights, please visit: www.thebluemountains.ca/business-spotlights, and if you are interested in participating, please email economicdevelopment@thebluemountains.ca

Open Fields Farm Tour

The Town of The Blue Mountains is excited to announce the second annual Open Fields Farm Tour scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024.

The Farm Tour is a free, self-guided tour that will give participants a chance to visit a variety of farms throughout the community, meet local producers, and learn firsthand about the processes and work that goes into bringing food from farm to table.

Locations and activities, workshops and demonstrations for this year are being confirmed and announced in early September. 

Last year, Open Fields welcomed more than 2000 visitors across the five farm locations. The event is a a true celebration of our local agricultural community and the Town's Economic Development team is proud to partner with local farmers, growers and producers on this great event. 

2024 Community Improvement Plan

The Town is excited to confirm that Council has approved 10 funding applications for the 2024 Community Improvement Plan intake, totalling over $124,000 of investment into local businesses, with a total construction cost of over $278,000. This represents real investment into the local business community. 

The Community Improvement Plan is a planning and economic development tool that municipalities may use to facilitate broad community revitalization goals through grants or loans to private property owners and tenants.

The Town has two Community Improvement Plans that aim to serve as a long-term strategy to revitalize the community, improve the quality of life of the community's residents, better utilize under-developed properties and promote private investment in land and buildings. The Housing Within Reach CIP is designed to encourage and facilitate the development of attainable housing and the Town Wide Revitalization CIP is designed to encourage private property improvement and revitalization.

Through consultation with current and potential applicants and community members, the Town will be reviewing the Community Improvement Plan in 2025 based on opportunities to broaden the scope of the program to maximize community impact.

Support for Local Business Associations

The Town of The Blue Mountains is proud to support its local business associations through a yearly funding program that helps drive economic development in our local community.

In June, Council approved $20,000 to support projects and initiatives led by four business associations serving the local business community. The business associations included the Thornbury Business Improvement Area, Clarksburg Village Association, Blue Mountain Village Association and Blue Mountains Chamber of Commerce.

The funding requests submitted by the association’s included a range of exciting initiatives such as business networking, community events and downtown beautification.

Celebrate Your Business

Do you have a major milestone coming up? Have you changed things up and want to celebrate with a grand reopening?

We'd love to join you! Let us know if you have a special anniversary on the horizon or something else worth celebrating. We'll bring the Mayor and our big blue scissors for a special ribbon cutting ceremony. 

Fill out the form on our website to request the Mayor's Attendance.

Celebrate With Us

2024 Summer Company Participants

The South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre is thrilled to welcome a new cohort of ambitious students ready to launch their ventures and dive into the world of entrepreneurship.

These seven aspiring entrepreneurs are participants of Summer Company, Ontario’s premier youth entrepreneurship program for students aged 15-29. The program provides hands-on business training, valuable mentorship, and funding of up to $3,000. The South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre is proud to introduce the seven participants of the 2024 Summer Company program.

We encourage you to engage with these entrepreneurs, ask questions and explore their products and services.

Learn More

Local Support & Program Opportunities

Small Business Enterprise Centre - Free Business Consultations

The South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre gives entrepreneurs the assistance they need to start and grow their businesses, and to meet their entrepreneurial aspirations.

Services

  • Free consultations with a qualified business consultant
  • Assistance with business permits, licences, registration, regulations and other forms and documents required to start and build a business
  • Review of business plans
  • Up-to-date, leading-edge information geared to the needs of the entrepreneur
  • Access to current resource materials including books, directories and trade indexes
  • Informative workshops and seminars specifically designed to meet the needs of small business
  • Copyrights, patents and trademark information
  • Support for student entrepreneurs through the Summer Company program

Book a Free Consultation

Community Futures South Georgian Bay - Seeking New Board Members

Community Futures South Georgian Bay (CFSGB) is seeking applications for new board members, CFSGB is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the growth, retention and expansion of local business.

The volunteer Board of Directors have a strategic role to play in representing the vision and purpose of CFSGB. If you believe in the power of entrepreneurship and share our desire to serve the business owners and communities in our region, we hope that you will consider joining us.

CFSGB is looking for people who are committed to growing our local communities and are looking for the right place to volunteer. Entrepreneurial experience is an asset as well as expertise in finance/accounting, real estate, consulting, people management and economic development. This volunteer commitment will require about 4-5 hours per month.

To learn more, visit www.cfsouthgeorgianbay.ca or email info@cfsouthgeorgianbay.ca

Connect with Our Team

We're available to assist with any questions you may have regarding your business development and operations. We're also always seeking new ideas and feedback for our newsletter and economic development initiatives.

Have a question or an idea?
Connect with us by email or call (519) 599-3131 ext. 269.

Email Us