Business View Civil and Municipal | April/May 2022

81 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 3 TOWNSHI P OF WA INFLEET , ONTAR IO Gibson reports, “Our main focus remains our multimillion dollar agricultural sector, though saying that, we also have many other successful businesses. We’re also very fortunate that we’re on the shore of Lake Erie, which gives us all sorts of recreational opportunities.” The township’s council is bound by Ontario legislation to protect farmland, which means that overall growth is both measured and limited. But, in areas where the township is allowed to grow, council is hoping to encourage smart and sustainable growth, while it maintains Wainfleet’s rural roots and exceptional quality of life. “It’s really important for us to maintain that small town rural charm here,” says Lindsay Earl, Manager of Community and Development Services for the Township of Wainfleet. “A lot of our business that we do here at the township focuses around keeping that small town atmosphere.” The Township of Wainfleet has about 6,800 permanent residents and is made up of several small villages and hamlets including Beckett’s Bridge, Belleview Beach, Burnaby, Camelot Beach, Chambers Corners, Long Beach, Morgan’s Point, Ostryhon Corners, Wainfleet Village, Wellandport, and Winger. Being ideally situated in the heart of the Niagara Region, there are so many options for tourism and adventure just a short drive away – Toronto is only an hour and a half northeast, and Niagara Falls just a half hour away on the border into New York State. According to Gibson, “People who discover Wainfleet are usually going to or coming from other Niagara Region destinations. The Falls, of course, is a huge draw and from there they scatter out and go to the beaches and go sightseeing at other places, so we benefit from those travelers very much.” The township’s lakeside villages brim with cottagers through the warmer months and bring Wainfleet’s seasonal population to more than