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.
Fall 2026 DMZ Innisfil Applications Now Open
Are you ready to focus on growing your business this fall? The DMZ Innisfil Startup Incubator and Business Accelerator programs are designed to help entrepreneurs achieve their growth goals through coaching, 1:1 mentorship, workshops, and a community of like-minded local founders.
The Fall 2026 cohort will run from September to mid-December. The deadline to submit your application to join the program closes Friday, July 31 at 5:00 p.m.
To learn more about the DMZ Innisfil program, hear from past entrepreneurs who graduated, and apply, visit innisfil.ca/DMZ.
Discover Lakeside Dining and the Taste of Innisfil
The Town of Innisfil is excited to build upon the success of last year’s Discover Lakeside Dining tourism campaign with the new Taste of Innisfil campaign. Throughout July and August, our Economic Development team will be promoting all that Innisfil has to offer to day trip tourists throughout the summer! From lakeside dining to hidden local gems, the Taste of Innisfil map highlights local independent restaurants and other summer activities including shopping, trails, and a variety of Innisfil adventures.
Members of our Economic Development team have already stopped into many local businesses to drop off promotional material including campaign rack cards and maps. If your business has not yet received any printed marketing material but would like to support this campaign and help us further market Innisfil as a tourism destination, please email Amber Elliott, Economic Development Champion at aelliott@innisfil.ca to learn more.
Taste of Innisfil campaign and new map
Council endorsed the new Innisfil Community Improvement Plan (CIP)
The Economic Development team has worked closely with cross-departmental Town staff and community partners over the past year to develop the Town’s new CIP and is excited to share that Council formally endorsed the CIP at the June 3 Council meeting. A CIP is a suite of financial incentive programs designed to stimulate community revitalization, investment attraction and development activity. CIPs are commonly implemented by municipalities throughout Ontario to promote and encourage beautification, rehabilitation, redevelopment, and other improvements to properties and buildings.
The Town of Innisfil's Community Improvement Plan (CIP) addresses three priorities:
- Attract and accelerate new investment
- Create jobs through business growth
- Revitalize main streets and downtown areas
Moving forward, funding for the CIP program will be considered by Council through the 2027/2028 budget process.
County of Simcoe Employment Survey
The County of Simcoe Planning Department is continuing the Employment Survey for its third year. Five survey facilitators have been deployed throughout the County to deliver a survey consisting of approximately 23 questions to collect data including business addresses, names, hiring challenges, number of employees, future plans, etc. to better understand business needs throughout all 16 local municipalities. Innisfil businesses are expected to be contacted and surveyed at the end of July.
Funding Opportunities
Below are a few recent funding announcements that we would like to share with the Innisfil business community:
Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF) – Direct Delivery Stream
The Build Communities Strong Fund is investing in a wide range of infrastructure projects that support economic prosperity, housing, sport, education, health, transit, and climate adaptation.
As part of this national initiative, Canada’s regional development agencies are delivering $1 billion over four years through the BCSF Local Impact Stream, a part of the BCSF Direct Delivery stream, to support community infrastructure projects that strengthen communities and advance regional economic development. It was recently announced that the Build Communities Strong Fund Local Impact Stream is now open in southern Ontario.
For more information, check out:
- Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada - Build Communities Strong Fund
- News release: FedDev Ontario is now accepting applications under the Build Communities Strong Fund Local Impact Stream in southern Ontario
- Build Communities Strong Fund - Local Impact Stream in southern Ontario
Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant
Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed grants help organizations, municipalities, and First Nations improve how they deliver programs and services that directly benefit community members. Applicants can apply for funding to carry out projects focused on:
- organizational planning
- piloting a new program
- building their capacity to plan for future programs and services
The grant application period is from July 22 to August 19, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
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.