News & Notices

Collingwood ranks 7th in entrepreneurial communities

Posted: October 22, 2014

Collingwood, ON [21 October 2014] – Collingwood really is open for business, according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ ranking of Canada’s top entrepreneurial cities, which ranked Collingwood seventh best mid-sized entrepreneurial city.

The report, released Monday, looks at 14 indicators, grouped into three categories: presence, perspective and policy.

Collingwood ranked first out of more than 120 cities across Canada in presence -- a measurement of the scale and growth of business ownership – meaning there is a large and growing concentration of independent businesses in the area.

New Director of Marketing and Business Development, Martin Rydlo, has certainly found that to be the case.

“The lifestyle that Collingwood offers appeals to people in all stages of their lives and careers, and it makes Collingwood an ideal community for people who are looking to start or expand a business,” said Rydlo. “The community support for entrepreneurs, from the Town, the residents and the fellow business owners is amazing.”

Collingwood is also one of the smallest communities, and the only Ontario municipality, in the top 10.

Mayor Sandra Cooper believes the entrepreneurial spirit has always been a key part of Collingwood.

“From the early days of shipbuilding, Collingwood has attracted entrepreneurs and business owners,” said Mayor Cooper. “Our downtown core appeals to people because of the variety of shops, services and restaurants available, and visitors know they can experience exceptional quality and unique opportunities. This not only attracts shoppers, but also other businesses who want to be located close to such amenities. Our tech businesses along Hume Street are a great example of that, as is our industrial sector.”

The Business Development Centre (BDC), which opened in August 2014, is another example of Collingwood’s entrepreneurial initiative.

The centre is a collaborative effort between the Town of Collingwood, the Centre for Business and Economic Development, the South Georgian Bay Small Business Enterprise Centre, and the Downtown Collingwood Business Improvement Association.

Rydlo believes the Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ (CFIB) report is great news for the Town and the Business Development Centre.

“New business owners need to locate in a community that is going to offer them the best chance of success,” said Rydlo. “Between the recognition from the CFIB and the support available from the BDC, we believe that new business owners, and business owners looking to expand, will see great potential in Collingwood.”

The full report and ranking of 122 communities is available at www.cfib-fcei.ca/.