COUNTY OF WELLINGTON Credit Review 2017 Economic Development Presentation to Standard and Poor’s July 7, 2017
Wellington County Credit Review Presentation 2017 1. 2016 Economic Development Highlights 2. A look ahead, 2017 Wellington Economic Development 3. Socio Economic Update 4. Top Employers 5. Municipal Investments 6. Development Activity 7. County Infrastructure Investments
We l l i n g t o n C o u n t y S u c c e s s f u l G r a n t s Project Funding Source Fergusson Place (55 units affordable $8.1 million Federal/Provincial Investment in Opened senior housing Affordable Housing (IAH) Programme 2017 Palmerston affordable housing (11 $1.5 million Federal/Provincial Investment in 2018 units) Affordable Housing (IAH) Programme 3 Electric vehicle charging stations $215,000 Government of Ontario's Electric Vehicle 2017 Grant Programme (EVCO). $98,574 Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration: 2017/2018 Supporting the Economic Integration Municipal Immigration Programs programme of Immigrants and International Students in Rural Labour Markets Promoting Youth Inclusion in Rural $63,500 Ontario 150 Partnership Program 2017 Labour Markets programme Source: County Treasury Department
2016 County BR+E Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) is a programme supported by OMAFRA that survey’s businesses to identify local issues and opportunities. The data collected helps to form strategic directions and actions. The 2016 BR+E project interviewed 147 businesses in Wellington County and focused on downtown/retail businesses and foreign owned business. The three emerging themes from the BR+E survey were: workforce, lack of affordable housing and lack of transportation. Business Retention and Expansion Municipal Fund an annual $175,000 County funding programme to help member municipalities leverage funds to implement BR+E project actions Projects have included: Minto: Alumni Attraction programme, LaunchIt Minto business incubator. Mapleton: Community Improvement Plan, Website redesign. Town of Erin: EDO position. Wellington North: Community Improvement Plan, Business recruitment programme. Puslinch: Community Improvement Plan, Funding, Branding exercise. Guelph/Eramosa: Comprehensive By-law review.
2016: Economic Development Highlights 2016 International Plowing Match and Rural Expo Gate attendance for the 2016 IPM was 96,315+ exceeding previous attendance of 83,000 (2015) and 73,000 (2014). Special events at the event included the RCMP Musical Ride, Jousting, Rodeo and Zipline were prominent attractions. Wellington County Showcase Tent • 17 showcase booth including County departments and member municipalities, participation from the University of Guelph, Waterloo Wellington Community Futures Corporation • 30 Demonstrations and Music presentations • VIP Taste Real Harvest Dinner highlighting top chefs and local food , Careers in Agriculture Event, County Council Meeting, Volunteer recognition event • Wellington County Zipline, with over 1000 zips and participants from ages 3 to 84+ • Tastes of Wellington featured Wellington County food vendors sampling and selling product • Tour the Taps of Wellington featuring 3 local craft breweries (2,520 samples distributed) • Wellington Farmers’ Market with 7 vendors ($11,500 revenue and new partnerships developed)
2016: Economic Development Highlights Guelph-Wellington Agri-Food Mission • In October 2016 the University of Guelph, City of Guelph, County of Wellington and the Guelph Chamber of Commerce lead he Guelph-Wellington Agri-Food Mission to France. • The programme for the Guelph-Wellington Agri-Food Mission had the group travel to both Dijon and Paris. A part of the mission focused on SIAL Paris, the world’s largest international food innovation and trade exhibition. Businesses interested in exporting were able to connect with companies across the world. • The mission included a programme hosted by Vitagora in Dijon on October 13-14 and the SIAL Paris, the world’s largest food innovation exhibition, with established business to business meeting.
2016: Economic Development Highlights Wellington County Economic Development Online ED Tools As recommended in the Wellington Investment Attraction Strategy, we have pursued creating an online data and community profile report generator for Wellington and its individual communities. Investors can view community demographics, market access, utilities, incentives and more within one customizable report. Wellington County Job Board Pulling local job posting from Wow Jobs, Indeed, Wellington County Economic Development Canada Job Bank and the local live and work job online focuses on three main areas: portals that have been established in Centre • Wellington, Erin, Minto and Wellington North. www.wellingtonmeansbusiness.ca The job board assists with promoting Wellington • www.liveandworkwellington.ca County and showcasing available jobs to those • www.experiencewellington.ca seeking employment.
2016: Economic Development Highlights Talent Attraction Initiative • Careers in Agriculture event at the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo • Wellington County booth at Toronto Newcomer Settlement Career Fairs • Online Wellington County Job Portal • Live and Work in Wellington attraction videos • Successful funding obtained: Ontario 150 Partnership Program funding for $63,500 for a one year labour market program titled “Promoting Youth Inclusion in Rural Labour Markets”. • Successful funding obtained: Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration Canada funding for $98,574 for a two year labour market project titled “Supporting the Economic Integration of Immigrations and International Students in Rural Labour Markets ” • Development of post secondary partnerships with University of Guelph and Conestoga College • International student workshops
2016: Economic Development Highlights Wellington County Promotions Festivals and Events Guide 2016 An annual guide showcasing the hundreds of festivals and events in Wellington County. Wellington County Visitor’s Map Developed with the County Planning Department, the Visitor’s Map is a traditional roadmap and attraction piece. Postcards from Wellington County Used at the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo, Postcards from Wellington County offered a way to share your County experience.
2016: Economic Development Highlights Taste Real Programme Launched in 2011, Taste Real started out as the new branding initiative of Guelph Wellington Local Food developed to support local businesses, farms and producers who are passionate about the way local food is grown, prepared, presented and enjoyed, and how real it tastes! Taste Real is now a County of Wellington initiative and continues to support the same local businesses, farms and producers. Taste Real 2016 Programming: Taste Real 2016 • Source it here, b2b event • 108 business • Spring Rural Romp partners • Local Food Fest • 4 brewery/distillery • Fall Rural Romp partners • IPM 2016: Taste Real Harvest Dinner, • 10 supporter Tastes of Wellington, Tour the Taps, partners Farmers’ Market, Demonstrations
2016: Economic Development Highlights Hillsburgh Library Construction is underway on the new Hillsburgh Branch of the Wellington County Library, the facility is expected to be complete by summer 2018. The new library space includes: • Barrier-free for all to enjoy • Unique design, stunning setting, attached to a heritage home, located along the Cataract Trail • Public computer access and Wi-Fi • Flexible public event space available within the library • Community kitchen and public meeting space The Economic Development department is assisting with the kitchen design for the Hillsburgh library to ensure the space will be suitable as a community and business space. The inclusion of a commercial kitchen space will encourage recreation and tourism on the new library site.
2016: Economic Development Highlights This Way to Wellington Signage Programme The County of Wellington approved its first ever Signage Plan in February 2016. This initiative is designed to promote greater awareness of Wellington’s boundary communities, to generate new investments, attract tourism and strengthen County pride. The Signage Plan incorporates three phases: entrance signs on County boundary roads; directional/wayfinding signage; and business/tourism signage. Implementation of entrance signs on County boundary roads will begin in July 2017. Tourism signage will be installed in 2018 .
2017: Economic Development Highlights • • BR+E Downtown/Retail Final Report Partnerships – University of Guelph, Innovation Guelph, Business Centre Guelph • Live and Work Wellington, Job Board and Wellington, Waterloo Wellington Community Attraction Video launch Futures • 2017 Festival and Events Guide • Ontario Food Cluster membership • Guelph-Wellington at SIAL Toronto • 2017 Taste Real Partnerships and Events • County Wide CIP development • SWIFT • Updated Economic Development Strategic • Western Ontario Warden Caucus, Economic Plan Development Committee: Economic • Website upgrades, updated online business Development Action Plan directory
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