Explore progress on objectives related to Goal 2 of the Innisfil Economic Development Strategic Plan: Support for an innovation-enabled economy.

Be a leader in local and regional business retention and expansion by increasing regional collaboration and driving the participation of regional businesses.

Action 20

Upon renewal of the DMZ Innisfil Partnership Agreement, undertake a review of the program, program facilities, and staffing and develop a 5-year strategic approach for Innisfil’s incubator and accelerator programming.

  • Timeline: 2024
  • Status: In Progress.
  • Progress: Staff has been engaged in discussions with Toronto Metropolitan University and have come to consensus on a potential partnership option moving forward. Staff anticipate bringing forward a report to Council in Q2 2024.
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion.

Action 21

Develop a marketing plan to promote the DMZ Innisfil program and build awareness. This would include refining DMZ Innisfil’s pitch (who we are, who we serve, our goals and aspirations) in order to promote the incubator on a local and regional level and may also include exploration of new tools which may include, but is not limited to, a business ambassador program.

  • Timeline: 2024
  • Status: In Progress.
  • Progress: Staff has initiated this project and anticipate further developments in Q2 2024. 
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion.

Action 22

Increase engagement with minority business leaders, entrepreneurs and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) industry experts to help shape DMZ Innisfil and economic development programming to foster an inclusive and welcoming entrepreneurial ecosystem.

  • Timeline: Ongoing.
  • Status: In Progress.
  • Progress: The Town of Innisfil Economic Development Office has signed the pledge for the Government of Canada 50/30 Challenge. By signing this pledge, the Economic Development team has committed to increasing the inclusion of diverse groups within our workplaces. This pledge has allowed us to join the Georgian College Community of Practice, allowing us to learn how to improve inclusively in our programming from peers across the region. 
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion. 

Action 23

Explore opportunities to diversify revenue generation for DMZ Innisfil. This may include grants, development of a sponsorship partnership prospectus, equity-based programming fees, etc.

  • Timeline: 2024
  • Status: In Progress
  • Progress: Staff has completed benchmarking and researching and will be exploring revenue generating opportunities further through the 2025/2026 municipal budget process. 
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion.

Action 24

Explore new programming which provides greater support to target sectors.

  • Timeline: This action is targeted to begin in 2026.
  • Status: Not yet initiated.
  • Progress: N/A
  • Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.

Action 25

Explore funding opportunities for start-up and scale-up businesses, including community improvement programs, technology adoption, connection with other available organizations and funding.

  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Status: In Progress
  • Progress: Staff has booked a DMZ All Access workshop focused on Raising Angel Capital for April 2024.
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion.

Action 26

Continue to position the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library as a community-hub for entrepreneurship and innovation. Actions and outcomes could include:

  1. Partnering with Georgian College to expand the annual Maker Event to add additional programming for home-based and small-scale entrepreneurial endeavours.
  2. Leveraging programs such as the Digital Media Lab, the Hacker Lab and technology training classes and workshops.
  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Status: In Progress
  • Progress: Staff has engaged with the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library team on the delivery of two potential events which are targeted to take place in Q3 & Q4.
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion.
 Action 27

Continue to promote the services of the Small Business Centre for Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia, Cookstown Chamber of Commerce, Futurpreneur Canada, Nottawasaga Futures and other partners by supporting opportunities to host business events in Innisfil’s key locations (DMZ Innisfil and Innisfil ideaLAB & Library).

  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Status: In Progress
  • Progress: Staff continues to promote the services of project partners. A series of "success stories" highlighting these partnerships is in the works, and Staff anticipate hosting a second Innisfil Business Support Showcase in Q4 2024. The Town supports Nottawasaga Futures by providing in-kind office space for the provision of Nottawasaga Futures. The Economic Development newsletter and social posts continue to feature and support our partners with marketing and advertising. Our partners also continue to support us by sharing our events with their network.
  • Impact: Impact to be presented upon project completion.

Provide entrepreneurs and start-ups with supports to move a product from an idea to prototype to commercialization.

Action 28

Map the existing ‘high-growth’ Innisfil businesses within each target sector to better understand the support they require to grow and provide more effective support for these companies.

  • Timeline: This action is targeted to begin in 2025.
  • Status: Not yet initiated.
  • Progress: N/A
  • Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.

Action 29

Develop programming to educate intrapreneurs within the Town of Innisfil on innovative approaches and best practices for achieving continuous improvement. Explore opportunities to work with local entrepreneurs to pilot new programs, services and technologies through the Town of Innisfil, municipal partners and regional businesses and institutions.

  • Timeline: This action is targeted to begin in 2026.
  • Status: Not yet initiated.
  • Progress: N/A
  • Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.

Action 30

Undertake an entrepreneurial ecosystem mapping exercise and develop an online database of information for start-ups, entrepreneurs and small business operators. The database will provide information on:

  1. government programs, grants, or other funding sources, mentors or other support networks
  2. consumer needs and preferences, as well as identify areas where there may be unmet demand
  3. programs and services offered regionally
  4. business success stories and profiles 
  • Timeline: 2024
  • Status: In progress.
  • Progress: The Town of Innisfil Economic Development Office has supported an application by Georgian College to the County of Simcoe for Entrepreneurial Innovation Funding, in part to develop an entrepreneurial ecosystem map. 
  • Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.

Increase InnisfiI's ability to leverage the Town's location with Central Ontario's health hub to attract practitioners, create health care related employment and improve access to health care.

Action 31

Position and market Innisfil as a partner within the ‘regional health cluster’ through development of health care focused webpages and resources. Opportunities exist to continue to attract a range of health care related uses that could include a long-term care facility, supportive community housing, research, education and training facilities, community health uses and related medical office space.

  • Timeline: This action is targeted to begin in 2026.
  • Status: Not yet initiated.
  • Progress: N/A
  • Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion. 

Action 32

Explore new partnerships with key partners in the health and wellness sector to take a collaborative and cohesive approach to investment attraction and innovation in health care.

  • Timeline: Ongoing
  • Status: In Progress
  • Progress: Staff has initiated discussions with Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre regarding the innovations under way by DMZ Innisfil founders to understand how the ecosystem can better support the piloting of new technologies within the regional healthcare sector. 
  • Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.