Wellington North is launching a 2025 Business Retention and Expansion Project in partnership with Wellington County.
Economic Development Officer for the Township of Wellington North Robyn Mulder says they will be reaching out to local businesses in the downtowns of Arthur and Mount Forest in order to gain a deeper understanding of their needs, goals, and future plans. Mulder says that this is one of the most important projects she will handle.
"That's because 75 per cent, if not more, of new business in any community comes from established business. So we wanna make sure that they are supported and that they understand their resources," Mulder explained. "Without our businesses, the local economy goes down. We need that money to stay in the local economy. Also, they're a huge asset and we definitely need to support them."
Mulder says that way local businesses can grow and thrive. Interviews will take place with businesses through July and August.
A summary of the findings and recommendations from the interviews will be shared publicly and presented to both Municipal and County Councils, with individual responses from businesses kept confidential.
The project was made possible with the support of the University of Guelph, who are supplying a co-op intern to work with Mulder, and the Mitacs Accelerate Program.
A media release from the Township of Wellington North details that the BR+E Project will include a series of approximately 30-minute interviews with local business owners. These conversations aim to:
-Identify the needs, concerns, and opportunities of existing businesses.
-Understand future plans related to expansion, relocation, or retention.
-Establish stronger communication between the Township and business community.
-Introduce the County’s Economic Development Division as a resource for growth and project support.
-Gather insights on goals and interests related to downtown revitalization.
The media release also stresses that responses from the businesses will remain confidential.
"For me it's about going out and meeting our local business owners and building a rapport, so they have a communication outlet, someone at the town that they can contact if they need help with something. And this is all about trust, too, which is why anything said during the interviews will remain confidential," Mulder emphasized.
All participants will be invited to a Business Breakfast later this year where the results will be shared.