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Welcome to the Innisfil Economic Development newsletter!
This month, we're excited to share the latest updates on economic growth and upcoming events in our community. From innovative startups to thriving local businesses, there’s always something to celebrate in Innisfil. The Town of Innisfil’s Economic Development team is here to support you—reach out anytime at business@innisfil.ca for general inquiries or business assistance.
Innisfil Fall Tourism Challenge
The Town of Innisfil Economic Development Office has challenged local businesses to a new Fall Tourism Challenge to attract more visitors to the area. Local retailers, restaurateurs, and tourism operators are invited to collaborate on developing new experience packages in return for the chance to be featured in a new fall marketing campaign valued at more than $5,000.
The Innisfil Fall Tourism Challenge is a unique experience for local businesses to work together on the common goal of attracting more visitors to the area. Eligible visitor experiences must include a partnership between two or more Innisfil-based businesses and take place within the Town of Innisfil during October. Examples of eligible experiences might include a local woodworker who pairs with a food producer to deliver a charcuterie workshop, or an artist who partners with a restaurant for an autumn-themed ‘paint and sip’ event. The top 10 to12 experiences will be promoted through a dedicated marketing campaign, which will begin in early September and run through the end of October.
Ready to get involved?
Read the Innisfil Fall Tourism Challenge news release for more information.
Submit your Fall Tourism Challenge Application
Innisfil Heights Investment Guide
Our team is excited to share the Innisfil Heights Investment Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to Opportunities, Growth & Support. At the heart of Innisfil’s growth potential is the Innisfil Heights Employment Area (Innisfil Heights), a key employment area spanning 1,600 acres along Highway 400. With the capacity to support over 16,000 jobs, Innisfil Heights offers prime opportunities for industrial, commercial, and tourism-based developments, particularly in technology driven and manufacturing sectors. Innisfil is committed to investment in solutions that position Innisfil Heights as an attractive, competitive choice for forward-thinking businesses.
We trust this guide will demonstrate why Innisfil is an ideal investment destination and provide you with comfort that our team can assist you at every step.
View the Innisfil Heights Investment Guide
New transit survey: We want to hear from you
The Town of Innisfil is developing a Transit Master Plan that will outline how Innisfil’s public transit will change and grow over the next 10 years. We have prepared four potential alternatives for what Innisfil Transit could look like in the future and want to hear from our business sector. Do you like these options? What do you like about them? Take the survey by June 15 to share your feedback.
Help us welcome two new businesses to Innisfil
Members of our Economic Development team had the pleasure of attending two grand openings this month! Please join us in welcoming Dilli Chaat, a new food truck operating in Gilford and offering a taste of authentic Indian cuisine. Along with this, we are excited to welcome a new McDonald’s restaurant to Cookstown. Both businesses kicked off their openings with joyous grand opening celebrations, and we are excited for a busy summer ahead for both.
Tourism Simcoe County is now using Whereabouts
Tourism Simcoe County is now using Whereabouts, a new customer management tool designed to help them better manage their members and their profiles on their website. With Whereabouts, Tourism Simcoe County can keep operators’ information current and streamline their marketing efforts—ensuring that business’s information is accurately represented in everything they do.
To appear on the Experience Simcoe County website and be included in future marketing campaigns, it's important that tourism and hospitality operators claim their free listing and keep their profile up to date. If you are an Innisfil tourism and hospitality operator, we highly recommend creating a free listing as the Experience Simcoe County website is often a first stop for many tourists planning a daytrip.
Operators may have already received an invitation email from Whereabouts with instructions to claim their listing. If you haven't seen it yet, you can claim your listing. For any questions, please contact tourism@simcoe.ca.
Workforce Connect Conference
Join the County of Simcoe at the Workforce Connect Conference on June 11 at Hawk Ridge Golf Club in Severn Township, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. This premier event brings together industry leaders, human resources professionals, service providers, and entrepreneurs for a day of thought-provoking discussions and valuable insights. This year’s conference features renowned speaker Jay Kiew, engaging presentations, and dynamic conversations, all designed to help your organization navigate change and cultivate talent for the future.
Workforce Connect equips attendees with tools and resources to help strengthen their team and organization during uncertain times. The final agenda has been posted, and registration is open. Register here to secure your spot—space is limited!
Lakehead University: Employer Training – Developing Cultural Intelligence
Lakehead University, in partnership with the County of Simcoe, is hosting an Employer Training on Developing Cultural Intelligence on June 20, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at their Orillia Campus. The training is suited for any staff in any organization.
This workshop will offer participants an introduction to the cultural intelligence model for assessing culturally diverse situations and provide strategies for application. The aim is to equip participants with an action plan for enhancing their ability to work across domestic and international cultural differences.
Interested in participating? Registration is open—simply complete and submit the registration form!
Resources in response to U.S. tariff concerns
The Town of Innisfil is actively engaged in discussions with a number of partners regarding the impending tariffs. In particular, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, is leading the charge on behalf of Canadian municipalities as it pertains to a number of tariff related impacts, which may include, but are not limited to, municipal law enforcement, import and export of goods and services, impacts to municipal procurement and infrastructure projects, and potential impacts on small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Mayor Dollin, Council, and Economic Development staff are participating in these conversations and sharing the feedback of local business stakeholders.
In the meantime, the County of Simcoe Economic Development Office has created a dedicated webpage with comprehensive tariff resources to help businesses navigate potential changes. Also found on the site is a short tariff impact assessment created in collaboration with the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus.
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