Collingwood, Ontario

AT A GLANCE COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO WHAT: Gateway to South Georgian Bay Region WHERE: Simcoe County, Ontario WEBSITE: www.collingwood.ca www.techhubnorth.ca COLLINGWOOD, ONTARIO I t may be just a short 90 minute drive north of Toronto, Ontario, but the municipality of Collingwood, Ontario is a world away from the big city hustle and grind - a literal breath of fresh air harboring a recreational mecca on the shores of beautiful Nottawasaga Bay. Its stunning landscapes inspire artists of all disciplines, while nearby Blue Mountain Ski Resort draws winter enthusiasts from far and wide. Collingwood has earned kudos as one of the top places in Ontario to open and operate a small business – evolving from its rich shipbuilding history to welcome entrepreneurs and innovators in today’s thriving technology sector. Collingwood’s Mayor, Brian Sanderson, and CAO, Fareed Amin, are full of passion and praise for the exceptional community they serve. Business View Magazine recently queried them on Collingwood’s remarkable economic progress and how the city will handle the population spike that’s predicted for the not too distant future. The following is an edited transcript of that conversation. BVM: How would you describe Collingwood from a business perspective? Saunderson: “In 2018, we were voted one of the top Communities for Entrepreneurship in Canada (#6) and #2 for Entrepreneurial Spirit. That speaks to the evolution of our community since the shipyards closed down in 1986. We were very much a waterfront community and when the shipyards closed, we had to recreate ourselves. So, if you wanted a job here, you were probably going to be creating it for yourself. I think that was a legacy of that shift in our economy that continues today. We were also named by Maclean’s Magazine as the 22nd Best Community to Live in Canada, reflecting WHERE PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES THRIVE