Civil and Municipal - Jan 2024

the area and created one of the most productive farming regions in Canada.” ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION While agriculture remains a cornerstone, the community has successfully diversified its economy over the past few decades. CAO, Geoff McKnight describes, “Part of our municipality was the town of Bradford, which is where the urban center sits now. Over the past two to three decades, we’ve had a lot of employment growth centralized in that area. We focus on automotive products, plastics, and food production. Those are the areas that we’ve been able to have some success with on an attraction basis. And that growth is continuing.” The construction of a major business park along a key highway signifies the town’s commitment to becoming a logistical hub and creating more employment opportunities for its residents. He adds, “We’re now seeing transportation and 25 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 5, ISSUE 01 BRADFORD WEST GWI LL IMBURY, ON