do an hour-long guided tour on the farm, and that farmer then has the opportunity to talk about what it is that they do on their lands, how they approach their farm from a business perspective. It also allows them to get some exposure with an audience that they wouldn’t necessarily have the time to go out and do marketing for on their own.” Last year,the county was one of only ten municipalities across Ontario invited to present at a provincial tourism pitch event. There, leaders connected with major developers, including Sunray Developments, the owners of Hockley Valley Resort, who now have plans for further expansion in the community. “That got us a seat at the table to talk to Sunray face to face, which is oftentimes difficult to do with a large developer,” Sian recounts.“We have submitted another proposal to be heard at the pitch session for this year. Not only do we want to get people to come to Dufferin for the day, we would really like for them to stay overnight.” INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES AND GROWTH As it attracts new development, Dufferin is also tackling ongoing infrastructure challenges. “There are a lot of parcels available, but we don’t necessarily have the servicing for them,” Sian acknowledges.“We rely on groundwater here in Dufferin County and 63 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 11 DUFFERIN COUNTY, ON
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