Explore progress on objectives related to Goal 1 of the Innisfil Economic Development Strategic Plan: Investment-ready Innisfil.
Undertake an Economic Impact Study for Innisfil Heights to determine the potential for direct and indirect economic impact upon build-out of this industrial area. This study would inform other actions identified in this plan to assist the Town in understanding the potential return on investment for initiatives such as CIP programs, investments in infrastructure, etc.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: The Economic Impact and Sub-sector analysis is currently underway. It is anticipated to be completed by the end of Q1 2026.
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Complete a Master Drainage Study for Innisfil Heights in order to proactively address stormwater drainage issues across the strategic employment area.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: The Master Drainage Study for Innisfil Heights is currently in the procurement stage and expected to be complete by the end of 2026.
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Establish a lead generation pipeline for Innisfil Heights through the BR+E program and partnerships with broader investment attraction networks, including Invest in Simcoe County and Invest Ontario. Sites that are prime for pre-servicing and pre-zoning to support upcoming development projects are identified.
- Timeline: 2026
- Status: Complete
- Progress: A new Customer Management System has been procured, a new lead generation pipeline has been established, and a new site selection response team has been initiated to handle leads in a time efficient manner. Priority sites for development have been identified and discussions with Invest Ontario and the County of Simcoe are ongoing.
- Impact: This new cohesive approach to lead generation allows the Town to better address inquiries and facilitate faster and more accurate responses to site selection inquiries. Staff supported approximately 69 investment attraction leads, which represents a 60% increase over 2024. The new Site Selection Response Team supported the site selection inquiry from Northern Transformer. This ultimately led to the lands chosen for a future $207 M investment in an advanced manufacturing facility which is anticipated to facilitate more than 150 new jobs.
Develop a comprehensive Innisfil Heights Investment Attraction package or pitch decks with data on available sites, existing tenants, success stories and target markets. The pitch deck will also present Innisfil’s value proposition for investment attraction, including assets, infrastructure, target sectors and workforce strengths.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: Complete
- Progress: A new investment attraction webpage was launched in 2025. A new Innisfil Heights Investment Guide was also launched and distributed to target manufacturers through the Town’s attendance at the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS), one of Canada’s largest manufacturing events.
- Impact: There was a 90% year-over-year increase in visits to the Innisfil Heights investment attraction website.
Develop and implement targeted Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) to attract higher value investments in the key target sectors identified through this strategy.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: A project consultant was procured in 2025 and the initial background information review and community tour is complete. Community consultation will take place in January 2026 and a draft Community Improvement Plan is anticipated to be presented to Council by the end of Q2 2026.
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Position a site selection response team for ongoing Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion efforts in key sectors. The team would include staff in planning, economic development, building, engineering, InnServices and InnPower and would work to improve the investment-readiness of lands, reduce development barriers and support inquiries as they evolve from concept to operational.
- Timeline: 2024
- Status: Complete
- Progress: The newly established Site Selection Response Team began meeting in late 2024.
- Impact: The new Site Selection Response Team supported the site selection inquiry from Northern Transformer. This ultimately led to the lands chosen for a future $207 M investment in an advanced manufacturing facility which is anticipated to facilitate more than 150 new jobs.
Strengthen existing partnerships and explore new relationship building activities with key audiences. This could include:
- Collaborating with the City of Barrie and County of Simcoe to participate in investment attraction initiatives, publications, tradeshows and events, including the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) Toronto Chapter, the Collision Conference, Elevate Conference, the Ontario Economic Summit, Advanced Design & Manufacturing Toronto, SIAL Canada, Global Petroleum, the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS), Site Selectors Guild and MIPIM Awards, etc.
- Connecting with land developers, site selectors and real estate executives and other decision makers to market Innisfil Heights and support investment attraction in sectors including light & industrial and equipment and machinery manufacturing. Associations to target include the Site Selectors Guild, Regional Manufacturers' Roundtable, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium (EMC) etc.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: The Innisfil Economic Development team meets with the the County of Simcoe Economic Development Office and Regional Economic Development partners through the Investment Attraction Roundtable on a bi-monthly basis. In 2025, the Town of Innisfil took part in the Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) and advertised through various platforms including the National Post.
- Impact: There was a 90% year-over-year increase in visits to the Innisfil Heights investment attraction website. Staff supported approximately 69 investment attraction leads, which represents a 60% increase over 2024.
Offer customized support to private landowners to prepare lands for development, based on their specific development plans and needs, facilitating connections with key staff, raising awareness of incentives that may exist and streamlining processes and demonstrating a willingness to assist them through the process.
- Timeline: 2024
- Status: Not yet initiated.
- Progress: This strategic action item is contingent upon additional staff support which has not yet received budgetary approval.
- Impact: TBD
Apply for the CanExport Community Investments to increase capacity to support innovation, increase exports, and expand foreign direct investment activities. The funding could be used to enhance industry and market research for the Town (refer to Action 10).
- Timeline: This action is targeted to begin in 2026.
- Status: Not yet initiated.
- Progress: N/A
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Building on the key sectors identified through this strategy, undertake an in-depth sector analysis to identify subsectors to target for future investment.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: The Economic Impact and Sub-sector analysis is currently underway. It is anticipated to be completed by the end of Q1 2026
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Once target sectors are positioned, develop profiles and investment-related marketing. Focus on highlighting the key industries, supply chain businesses, development opportunities and industry partners that are local and in the region. These decks can also be used to support business attraction and connections with corporate real estate executives and other decision makers (refer to Action 7).
- Timeline: This action is targeted to begin in 2026.
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: The Economic Impact and Sub-sector analysis is currently underway. It is anticipated to be completed by the end of Q1 2026.
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Continue to pursue strategies to support the future of gaming in Innisfil, in consultation with the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.
- Timeline: Ongoing
- Status: Complete
- Progress: The Planning & Growth Team has been providing attention and support to Gateway Innisfil's Development Applications for a new and expanded gaming facility within the Town of Innisfil.
- Impact: A Ministerial Zoning Order (MZO) was approved for the new site on July 17, 2026.
Ensure the Official Plan and zoning policies incorporate flexible and responsive zoning that support diverse uses including higher-density industrial and commercial office uses.
- Timeline: Ongoing
- Status: In Progress
- Progress: The Innisfil Economic Development Team has been an active participant on the Technical Advisory Committee's for the Town's new Official Plan, CPPS, and Master Transit Plan.The updated Official Plan and Master Transit Plans are anticipated to be complete in 2026.
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Leverage Invest in Simcoe County’s site selection and online land inventory to market and promote the database of available land and sites within Innisfil Heights and other employment lands and buildings. Position the tool within Innisfil’s economic development website.
- Timeline: 2024
- Status: In Progress
- Progress: As of 2024, the County of Simcoe shared 17 leads for industrial land with municipal partners. The Town has identified 5 priority parcels which are best suited to address these types of inquiries. It is anticipated that through discussions with landowners these properties can be added to an online inventory in 2026.
- Impact: There was a 90% year-over-year increase in visits to the Innisfil Heights investment attraction website. Staff supported approximately 69 investment attraction leads, which represents a 60% increase over 2024.
Building upon the CIP identified in Action 5, develop a CIP focused on incentivizing the creation and expansion of commercial development in Alcona, Stroud and Cookstown. This may include ancillary housing above and behind commercial uses.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: In progress.
- Progress: A project consultant was procured in 2025 and the initial background information review and community tour is complete. Community consultation will take place in January 2026 and a draft Community Improvement Plan is anticipated to be presented to Council by the end of Q2 2026.
- Impact: Impact to be presented on project completion.
Support the Town’s Planning & Growth Team in implementing the recommendations brought forward through the Planning and Engineering Fees and Review Process.
- Timeline: 2025
- Status: Complete
- Progress: The Economic Development Team has led an Innisfil Heights Investment Readiness initiative in order to identify potential devleopment barriers and solutions to accelerate investment in the Innisfil Heights Strategic Employment Area. Findings were presented to Council in June 2024. The Fees and Charges By-law was updated in 2024 to reflect recommendations brought forward through the Review Process.
- Impact: An Innisfil Heights Investment Attraction Action Plan has been developed and Town staff, alongside InnPower and InnServices are working collaboratively to address 19 recommendations. Along with this, there is now increased certainty within the development community of development costs.
Implement the recommendations of the Simcoe County Labour Market Research Study to mitigate labour force challenges and needs. Actions and outcomes could include:
- Continued engagement with Simcoe Muskoka Skills Force and post-secondary institutions, including Georgian College and Lakehead University to ensure a better understanding of labour market issues and support the development of relevant skills training programs (including micro credentials, on-the-job training, apprenticeships and internships) to address industry labour force needs.
- Promote Innisfil careers through the Work in Simcoe County/Innisfil website and employment portal.
- Timeline: Ongoing
- Status: Complete
- Progress: The Innisfil Economic Development team hosted a 2025 Innisfil Job & Career Fair in partnership with Agilec Employment Services.
- Impact: The Innisfil Economic Development team hosted a 2025 Innisfil Job & Career Fair in partnership with Agilec Employment Services. This job fair attracted more than 750 attendees and employers reported a total of 66 full time positions and 45 part time positions were anticipated to be filled as a result of the job fair.
Gather, use and provide real-time Labour Market Information and build an inventory of the most in-demand careers required by major employers to target workforce development efforts. The Vicinity Jobs Platform and/or Work in Simcoe County Job Demand Reports could be used to provide this critical information.
- Timeline: 2026
- Status: Complete
- Progress: In 2025 the Innisfil Economic Development team retained a consultant to undertake a critical review of the most in-demand careers in Innisfil and subsequently created an inventory of the 25 most-in demand careers. Ten comprehensive profiles were created and will be shared with employers throughout Innisfil in Q1 2026.
- Impact: In 2025 the Innisfil Economic Development team retained a consultant to undertake a critical review of the most in-demand careers in Innisfil and subsequently created an inventory of the 25 most-in demand careers. Ten comprehensive profiles were created and will be shared with employers throughout Innisfil in Q1 2026.
Support existing business-support led initiatives as well as industry-led workforce initiatives. This may include facilitating partnerships between local job fair organizers, post-secondary institutions and local businesses or industries, to encourage participation and enable a pipeline of talent for the community. This may also include support and raising awareness of industry-led workforce development initiatives such as the "Be our Guest" initiatives championed by Friday Harbour Resort.
- Timeline: Ongoing
- Status: Complete
- Progress: The Innisfil Economic Development team hosted a 2025 Innisfil Job & Career Fair in partnership with Agilec Employment Services. In 2025 the Innisfil Economic Development team retained a consultant to undertake a critical review of the most in-demand careers in Innisfil and subsequently created an inventory of the 25 most-indemand careers. Ten comprehensive profiles were created and will be shared with employers throughout Innisfil in Q1 2026. Further, the Town filmed a success story to share the impact of Friday Harbour's "Be our Guest" program.
- Impact: The Innisfil Economic Development team hosted a 2025 Innisfil Job & Career Fair in partnership with Agilec Employment Services. In 2025 the Innisfil Economic Development team retained a consultant to undertake a critical review of the most in-demand careers in Innisfil and subsequently created an inventory of the 25 most-indemand careers. Ten comprehensive profiles were created and will be shared with employers throughout Innisfil in Q1 2026. Further, the Town filmed a success story to share the impact of Friday Harbour's "Be our Guest" program which has since received 821 views.