CONTINUED PROSPERITY GOAL OF NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM STRATEGY

CONTINUED PROSPERITY GOAL OF NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND TOURISM STRATEGY The prosperity of a municipality doesn’t occur by happenstance – it is a carefully cultivated and strategic process that is defined by a vision, directed by Town Council and administered by staff. Continued prosperity is the objective behind the Town’s work on a consolidated and actionable Economic Development and Tourism Strategy. The end result will be an effective document that guides business development and investment attraction over the next five years, and one that leverages linkages between economic development, tourism, and arts and culture. The strategy will identify tactics to attract and retain business investment as well as related private-sector jobs and assessment to Halton Hills. According to Mayor Rick Bonnette, it’s imperative that the Town remain focused both on assisting existing businesses and attracting new investments by highlighting the municipality’s unique value proposition. “The economic prosperity of Halton Hills is a key Council priority”, said the Mayor “But let’s not forget that we are always competing with other municipalities for investment and jobs; what we have to offer however, is a compelling quality of life and an open-for-business approach – attributes that are highly desirable to businesses looking to establish in a community.” The last Economic Development Strategy was created in 2012. Since then, there has been unprecedented demographic, technological, social, economic and political change. These changes over the past seven years have had a significant impact on local, regional, national and international economies – including Halton Hills. New and effective strategies are needed to position Halton Hills as a prime destination for investment and job growth. Concurrent with the launch of the Economic Development and Tourism Strategy is the development of a Foreign Direct Investment Strategy - a 5-year action plan customized for Halton Hills to market the community to international investors. The strategy will help Halton Hills be competitive globally by opening new markets, expanding supply chains, introducing new technologies, identifying tangible investment opportunities, creating local jobs and maximizing spin-off benefits for local businesses. “Local economic growth and job creation is the top priority for the Economic Development division. Our role is to maintain Halton Hills’ competitiveness by continuing to assist existing businesses through programs such as the Community Improvement Plan and Manufacturing Expansion Fund; helping to diversify the local economy and fostering robust growth in the Premier Gateway”,” said Damian Szybalski, Director of Economic Development, Innovation and Culture. Engagement opportunities will be available shortly. Subscribe to the Economic Development e-newsletter to stay informed on key projects at: haltonhills.ca/Media/newsletters/ and visit the project webpage at: investhaltonhills.com/economic-development-and-tourism-strategy