COUNTY OF WELLINGTON Credit Review 2018 Economic Development Presentation to Standard and Poor ’s July 10, 2018
COUNTY OF WELLINGTON Credit Review 2018 Welcome Economic Development Highlights 2017/2018 Socio Economic Update Top Employers Municipal Investments Development Activity County Infrastructure Investments
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Successful Funding in Wellington County 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 Ease into Canada: A Manufacturing $35,000 Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration: 2018 Toolkit Municipal Immigration Programs Source: County Treasury Department
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Wellington County Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) • 2017 BR+E project • Focus on downtown/retail businesses • Foreign owned business • 147 businesses interviewed • Roger Brooks local community assessment • 2018 downtown customers origins survey Business Retention and Expansion Local Municipal Implementation Fund • $175,000 annually • Provides member municipalities the opportunity to access funding for the direct execution of BR+E activities to enhance the local economy • Fund began in 2014 and in 4 years produced a total investment of approximately $1.5 million dollars in Wellington County with a 58% return on investment and dollars leveraged against the County investment
LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENT VIA COUNTY BR+E FUND Municipality Project Description BR+E Fund Leverage Minto LaunchIt Minto Business $25,000 25% funding Incubator Wellington North Youth for North Community $13,000 25% funding Resiliency Leveraging $39,000 Worker contribution from Minto, Mapleton and Mount Forest Family Health Team Wellington North Destination 20 ingredients $10,000 17% funding Development for an Leveraging $48,185 Main Street outstanding Revitalization Fund downtown (OMAFRA/AMO) Centre Wellington Economic Action plan for $25,000 40% funding Development the next 5 years Leveraging $35,000 OMAFRA RED Strategic Action Funding Plan Community Puslinch, Development of $100,000 $55,000 leveraged Improvement Plan Wellington CIP and (CIP) North, implementation Mapleton, Erin Source: Municipal EDOs
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Investment Attraction: Wellington as a place to invest Ontario Food Cluster County member of the Ontario Food Cluster (OFC). The OFC is a cost-sharing partnership of government and economic development organizations in southern Ontario that pool their resources together to attract agri-food company investment to the participating Ontario communities. Members attend international agri-food tradeshows and meet with international business interested in investing in Ontario. SIAL Canada, May 2017 Collaborating with the City of Guelph and the University of Guelph to showcase local food businesses at SIAL Canada in Toronto, Ontario. An opportunity to promote agri- food in Wellington County, showcase local business and build networks and markets for the local agri-food sector.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Community Improvement Programme • Incentives for businesses that invest according to County goals and priorities • Ie: improve buildings and infrastructure, attract key industries, increase number of rental housing units and diversify the economy. • Works as flow through funding via township CIPs to be revised next • MAH “well planned document that effectively puts the impetus with the member municipalities to achieve countywide objectives while at the same time supporting member municipal priorities and contexts.”
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Southwest Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) • In 2011, the Western Wardens’ initiated the SWIFT project with the goal of providing 3.5 million people across 350 Ontario communities with high-speed internet service. • Today SWIFT includes 20 partners who have contributed $17 million in funding in addition to $180 million in financial support from the Provincial and Federal governments. • The County of Wellington is one of these partners, having committed to $880,000 over a five-year period in the Economic Development budget. • Wellington County is actively working at strengthening internet service, gathering data and engaging the community to help solve connection challenges in the years to come. • Meeting with local internet providers to better understand their business, learn about possible solutions and solve connectivity issues.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Western Ontario Wardens Caucus (WOWC) Economic Development Strategic Plan • Councillor Bridge, Chair of the County Economic Development Committee, led the creation of a regional Economic Development Strategic Plan for Southwestern Ontario. • The Strategy was completed in 2017 and showed many shared challenges and opportunities. These include infrastructure investment, workforce planning and regional marketing. • As Chair of the WOWC Economic Development Committee, Councillor Bridge championed the creation of a fund to hire an Executive Director to lead the implementation of the Plan. • The project has connected many leaders across the province and is also working with the Western Ontario Community Futures Development Association to advocate for a $2M fund for regional economic development initiatives.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Talent Attraction Initiative • Workforce supply is a concern across the province • Wellington County talent attraction initiative is a proactive to help ease workforce challenges • We aim to better understand the current labour market and better prepare businesses and job seekers for work in rural Wellington County. • Millennials, newcomers, immigrants and international students are invaluable additions to help grow and maintain our rural communities. Research and awareness to grow these demographics in the County. • The Wellington County Job Board was launched to support business and reach out to new employees, by bringing together a resource of available jobs in the region.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Wellington Promotion Festivals and Events Guide • An annual guide showcasing the hundreds of festivals and events in Wellington County. • Each year in partnership with Wellington seven member municipalities, the economic development division produces the Festivals and Event Guide. • Top events include Hillside Music Festival, Fergus Scottish Festival and Highland Games, Mount Forest Fireworks Festival, Erin Fall Fair, Eden Mills Writers’ Festival and Riverfest Elora. • 2017: 20,000 guides • 2018: 60,000 guides E-Newsletters • Experience Wellington and InBusiness News • InBusiness: 1230 subscribers, 357 to 370 readers are engaging with a open rate 10% higher than the industry average
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Taste Real Local Food : 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 Programming: • Taste Real Local Food Map • Local Food B2B Networking and Learning Workshops • Local Food Fest, award winning festival celebrating food, drink and agriculture • Spring Rural Romp, Self-Guided Farm Tour in Northern Wellington County • Fall Rural Romp, Self-Guided Farm Tour in Southern Wellington County • Taste Real Experiences, highlighting local food options in the “off -season ” NEW in 2018, elimination of partnership fees to allow the programme to be more inclusive and representative of local offerings Membership to date 2018 Membership in 2017 • • 127 business partners 108 business partners • • 5 brewery/distillery partners 4 brewery/distillery partners • • 11 supporter partners 10 supporter partners
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HIGHLIGHTS Hillsburgh Library The new Hillsburgh Branch of the Wellington County Library, officially open in June 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 • Commercial community kitchen and public meeting space The Economic Development department designed and coordinated the kitchen at 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 opportunities at the new library site.
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