county of simcoe in-market special project fund

County of Simcoe In-Market Special Project Fund

Application Template

Applicant Information: Lead Organization: Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury - Office of Economic Development Primary Contact: Michael Disano Position: Manager Phone: 289-231-3829 Email: [email protected] Partner Organizations Include: Nottawasaga Futures (CFDC); Small Business Enterprise Centre – Barrie, Simcoe County, Orillia; Georgian College - Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre; Lakehead University Orillia; New Tecumseth Economic Development Office; Innisfil Economic Development Office. Proposed Project Timeframe: May 1, 2021 – September 31, 2022

(Competitive procurement process may start earlier) Funding Level Requested: $50,000 Date Submitted: January 28th, 2021 Proposed Project: Please attach as separate page to this document Please attach proposed project highlighting the following sections:

Project Summary- include information such as partners, location and municipalities served, expected outcomes, key deliverables, alignment with County of Simcoe economic development initiatives

Implementation Time Frame

Reporting Metrics

Communications plan, including proposal for funding recognition

Budget (both cash and in-kind contributions) Note: financial estimates below were prepared based on input from industry professionals

Project Expenses Special Project Fund Contribution ($)

Partner In-Kind Contribution ($)

Total

Environmental scan $ 5,000 $5,000

Secondary research $ 10,000 $10,000

Primary research $ 2,500 $ 7000 $9,500

Locational analysis $ 7,500 $ 3,500 $11,000

Business plan $10,000 $ 5,000 $15,000

Operational strategy $10,000 $ 2,500 $12,500

Financials/final report $5,000 $2,500 $7,500

TOTAL $50,000 $20,500 $70,500

Legend: Phase I Projects – Blue Phase II Projects - Red

Schedule 1 Economic Development Sub-Committee EDS 2021-073 1

Background The purpose of the County of Simcoe Special Project Fund is to increase support and opportunities for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial activities in Simcoe County. The fund will be available to entrepreneurship support service organizations to create partnerships and enhance service offerings in Simcoe County. The fund allows for flexibility in projects recognizing there are different needs and opportunities across the County. The expectation of this fund is that it will enable the introduction of new and innovative approaches to supporting entrepreneurs and lead to new partnerships. The Town’s Office of Economic Development along with its community support partners are moving towards the creation of a ‘Bradford Catalyst Centre (BCC) in the downtown core. We believe the concept and expected deliverables of this project meet the purpose of the Special Project Fund described above and formally request funding of $50,000 from the County of Simcoe. The overall scope of the BCC project is broken down into 3 phases including:

1. Feasibility Study; 2. Business and Operational Plan Development; 3. Implementation.

For the purposes of this submission, the Town is requesting County funds be used to accomplish the first two elements of the project. Project Summary

In the fourth quarter of 2020, the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury purchased a vacant school located at 177 Church Street. This former Bradford Public School was built in 1951 and housed Fred C. Cook Public School and Chris Hadfield Public School before it was permanently closed and declared surplus by the Simcoe County District School Board in 2015. The building is approximately 28,000 square feet in size on a 3 acre parcel of land.

Council and staff will be working with local organizations to determine the full scope of use for the building over the coming 2 years and is expected to house a variety of community and social services. Five thousand square feet of the facility has been earmarked for potential incubator space and will be the location being considered for this project.

The overarching goal in creating the Bradford Catalyst Centre (BCC) is to develop a

collaborative ecosystem whereby industry, small business, entrepreneurs, start-ups,

government, academia and venture capital can intersect to create community, spark innovation

and stimulate economic growth.

Rationale

As mentioned previously, funding from the County of Simcoe will be utilized to accomplish the first two phases of developing the BCC. Phase I will consist of creating a feasibility study with a recommended model for the space. A key objective during this stage is to gain a greater understanding of the local and regional programming needs required in the entrepreneur


ecosystem. We are aware that rural communities are under-resourced when it comes to business support services and regional innovation centres, BWG along with the surrounding area is no exception. Therefore, it is imperative that we look at creative and innovative ways to support local and regional business growth, as well as support retention and attraction efforts while minimizing duplication of programming that currently exists across the County of Simcoe. The Bradford Catalyst Centre will create a unique opportunity by bringing the economic development support services to the forefront under one roof while also aligning the resources and expertise of our partner organizations. By creating a collision space across the multi-sectoral business community in the County of Simcoe, we will nurture the generation of new ideas and innovations required to grow and retain existing businesses and at the same time, position ourselves to help attract newcomers to the surrounding area. A key deliverable for the project will be to help create a sustainable regional initiative where the bulk of the supporting resources are located. The BCC will leverage resources from post-secondary institutions, the municipalities, professionals, local businesses, investors, entrepreneurial start-ups, cultural groups, and social groups all within one specialized location. Harnessing the assets in one space and allowing for cross-functional interaction will drive community transformation. Once complete, this space will become a catalyst for research and innovation through the entire ecosystem. This funding will assist our Town to better identify the needs of local entrepreneurs, as well as understand the infrastructure and landscape that currently exists to capitalize on innovation whether it be through a living lab scenario, food incubator, arts and culture centre or to simply help grow an existing business. We also will utilize this funding to create a sustainable model that will feed the entire community both culturally and economically, thereby creating a truly sustainable community. Key Project Deliverables

Phase I - Feasibility Study

Environmental scan - map eco-system supports and gaps within the region and broader

service area (e.g. Inisfill DMZ, Lakehead/Orillia Incubator Space, Collingwood

Accelerator, York University/Markham Centre, Georgina Business Hub, etc.). Identify all

partners and stakeholders who should be engaged in the development process.

Secondary research - contrast and compare various business models (e.g. accelerators;

collision space; maker space; drop-down space; incubator space, etc.) Present pros and

cons for each along with best practices and associated governance models. Investigate

specialized incubators that may correlate to the Town’s existing sectors of strength (i.e.

agri-food and cultural industries)

Primary research – outreach and engagement with stakeholders identified in the

previous stage (e.g. Town Committees, local SME’s, partner organizations, etc.). The

Town will facilitate survey administration/data collection, focus groups, online interviews

as well as general communications regarding the project. Consultant to collect, analyse


and present engagement findings to the Office of Economic Development and provide

anticipated demand projections for the centre.

Locational Analysis – consider the physical attributes of the building and potential

synergies with other anticipated tenants of the space. Look at proximity to target users

and develop a recommended model.

Phase II - Business and Operational Plan Development

Develop a business & operational plan (based on recommended model from Phase I).

The plan must include:

development guidelines including a detailed implementation plan,

considerations related to implementation (e.g. projected timing, financial

sustainability, operating structure and potential on-going funding models),

key success factors,

financial projections to develop the raw space,

suggested layout to harmonize with other service providers co-located in the

space,

programming and service delivery recommendations including projected cost and

human resource implications, as well as metrics to monitor the success of

implementation,

recommended administration model with a non-profit governance structure and

suggested Board member composition,

recommended funding model to support both start-up and ongoing operations.

Note: Phase III Implementation is outside the scope of this proposal.

Anticipated Outcomes

Undertaking focus group sessions, interviews and surveys as part of the feasibility study

development will ensure future programming and service delivery at the BCC will be applicable

and beneficial to the local and regional entrepreneurs. By focusing on growing the existing

businesses and providing proof of concept, we will also achieve credibility with new start-up

entrepreneurs, thereby attracting them to the area. A key focus of the feasibility study will also

be an examination of the cultural factors needed to attract and retain a skilled workforce, and

the role of the BCC in supporting the development of such a culture to drive the growth of the

skilled workforce.

Our focus group consultations will provide perspectives from (but not limited to) business

owners across all sectors, entrepreneurs, support services, the post-secondary community,

non-profit and social entrepreneurs, as well as the arts and culture community. These activities


will inform the programming at the Centre that will be developed and offered within a year of

completion.

A long-term outcome of this funding will be an increase in the economic viability of Bradford

West Gwillimbury and the surrounding area through business growth as well as attraction and

retention. This Centre will encourage existing businesses to grow, creating new revenue

streams but also will attract those considering moving to the area through unique collision

spaces. This Centre will allow faculty from Georgian College and Lakehead University to be

more accessible, available and integrated into the local and regional business community;

thereby providing a space where innovation across sectors can flourish.

While economic development staff have expertise to predict the programming required in this

space, we need to ensure that this expertise is not duplicating the landscape, but rather

leveraging the existing synergies and collaborations to truly transform our ecosystem. By

ensuring all regional players and partner organization have a chance to voice their opinion and

help identify the needs in our broad ecosystem, we will ensure that we create a sustainable

model for the BCC and more importantly create opportunities that are currently lacking in the

region.

It should be noted that all information collected during the consultation period can be leveraged

and shared across regional partners including the County of Simcoe to ensure that we are

addressing the needs to attract, grow and support the ecosystem.

Location

The Bradford Catalyst Centre will be housed in a prominent downtown BWG location. The map below shows the proximity to Town administration buildings and existing transit stops, the next page shows a general layout of the 27,560 sq’ facility.


BWG Relevant Demographics

Based on our most recent statistics updated in February 2020, the Town of BWG has 2,390 self

employed individuals. As the fastest growing municipality in Simcoe County and second fastest

growing in Ontario, there is an influx of new businesses and people interested in bringing their

entrepreneurial venture to the community. The town has nearly 1000 registered businesses,

83% of which have between 1-9 employees. We feel that the BCC would serve to provide

resources to the many home-based and SME businesses that are looking to grow or scale

operations.

Leveraging Partnerships & Processes

The Town’s Office of Economic Development recently completed a 2 year COVID-19 Resiliency

and Recovery Strategy in partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural

Affairs. The Plan has several goals, objectives and action items which support the development

of an incubator, specifically: “create an environment that facilitates innovative and improved

connections between business, including the development of mentorship opportunities and co-

working/incubation space.”


The strategy was initiated in May 2020 and was finalized with Council adopting the plan on

November 3rd of last year. The project included a similar stakeholder engagement and outreach

program that is envisioned for the feasibility study described herein. Staff were able to facilitate

6 focus group sessions (100 invitations; 32 participants) targeting the following groups:

economic recovery task force; major employers and manufacturers; home based businesses;

downtown small businesses; SME’s outside of the historic downtown; and operations related to

the agri-food processing sector.

Economic Development staff were also able to develop and administer a business survey which

garnered over 100 responses and scheduled several interviews with additional stakeholders.

This process and the connections made throughout this project can be leveraged in the roll out

of the feasibility study phase.

From a partnership perspective, BWG is fortunate to have such a strong and established

relationship with the County of Simcoe’s economic development and tourism offices, along with

the broader regional economic development network. Support for this proposal has been

unanimously endorsed by seven key partner organizations, which have supplied the letters

attached to this submission. It is anticipated, the Town will form an internal steering committee

to help manage the project, this may include the Chief Administrative Officer and staff from

various departments (e.g. Development & Engineering Services, Community Services,

Corporate Services and Finance).

BWG will supply in-kind support through staff dedicated to facilitating the project ongoing, as

well as providing the 5000 sq’ of space allocated for the BCC located at 177 Church Street. We

will organize and coordinate focus groups sessions, survey design/implementation based upon

consultant input, schedule stakeholder interviews and coordinate virtual and physical (if

possible) meetings. The Town will also assist in all marketing and promotional efforts throughout

the process, as well as communicate progress back to the County of Simcoe Economic

Development Office.

It is further envisioned that at lease one representative from each of the partner organizations

could serve on an external advisory group. Below is a summary of their potential involvement in

support of the project.

1. Nottawasaga Futures (CFDC): has been successfully engaged in over 100 community

projects with 126 community partners in the last twenty years. They are fortunate to

have 11 active board members who are all successful business persons with a

commitment to community development. Presently, they participate or lead

in 14 community projects and provide on-going support to various community

organizations. They continue to partner with all levels of government including: Federal

Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, Province of Ontario, County of

Simcoe, Township of Adjala-Tosorontio, Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, Township

of Essa, Town of Innisfil and Town of New Tecumseth. Nottawasaga Futures will be a

valued member of the advisory team as they have an in-depth knowledge of the SME

marketplace in South Simcoe and can assist with demand analysis and the needs

assessment elements of the feasibility study. Moreover, they can provide programming


for the BCC by leveraging existing service offerings currently delivered to area

businesses.

2. Small Business Centre – Barrie, Simcoe County, Orillia: encourages and supports

entrepreneurship in the City of Barrie, City of Orillia, and across Simcoe County, by

being a one-stop service for all small business needs. The Small Business Centre is

supported by the Province of Ontario, and the City of Barrie. It is a part of the Ontario

Network of Entrepreneurs and one of the 57 small business enterprise centres across

Ontario. SBC has recognized the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises,

work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. Recognizing, there is an acute

shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces that assist in the formative

development of start-ups as well as help home-based entrepreneurs grow their

business, the SBC can provide invaluable insight and assistance in the intelligence

gathering phase of the project. They will also be able to provide input on programming

and support options that can be leveraged through their existing network.

3. Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre – Georgian College: assists entrepreneurs

in four main areas: training, connections, funding and mentorship. They bring all four of

these areas together to surround an entrepreneur and help take their business or idea to

the next level. As identified in this proposal, much work needs to be done to assess how

best to utilize the BCC space, retrofit it to suit the needs of new business owners and to

create a sustainable model that will maximize the growth potential of these businesses.

HBEC has experienced this process with Catapult Grey Bruce and have seen immediate

positive impacts to the business community and ecosystem with their launch. Their

Centre can support BWG by delivering the ‘Further Faster Business Accelerator’

program to early stage start-ups, in addition they can support with scale up and growth

mentorship on expertise including patents and IP, eCommerce, Fractional CFO, and

getting angel investment ready. HBEC will extend the XcelerateHER initiative to this

area and provide access to mentorship, virtual and hybrid events in future, and

increasing visibility of the programs. In addition, through their partnership with Uplift

Black Business, they can extend the support to BIPOC entrepreneurs where gaps exist.

The Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre will also support the BCC by ensuring

Georgian College’s programming and opportunities extend to their geographic outreach

including seven campus communities (Orillia, Midland, Owen Sound, Collingwood,

Muskoka, Orangeville and Barrie), as well as their global alumni network.

4. Lakehead University – Orillia Campus: is a dynamic, modern, and highly learner-

centred University that considers all those who take advantage of their services as valued leaders of tomorrow, whose success is most paramount to their institution. Both campuses in Thunder Bay and Orillia promise the total university experience: a blend of academic excellence and opportunity with a rich variety of social and recreational activities. They also promise excellence in research; Lakehead is the proud host to nine Canada Research Chairs and revolutionary facilities such as the world-renowned Paleo-DNA Laboratory and our Biorefining Research Institute. As the only University partner in


the County, Lakehead can provide support from faculty and researchers collaborating on R&D with local entrepreneurs. They have agreed to support the project as they recognize that building out this initiative will strengthen another key node in the entrepreneurial network across Simcoe County.

5. Bradford Board of Trade: is committed to enriching the lives of its members and the

business community at large, both professionally and personally through community

building, education and networking. As a Chamber of Commerce non-profit organization

the BBT’s mandate is to sustain and promote local businesses by providing services that

help local businesses run their organizations more effectively. The BBT provides critical

networking opportunities that help local SMEs increase sales and they take an advocacy

role in representing local business to government. As the voice of business in BWG, the

BBT has worked extensively with the Office of Economic Development over the past 15

years helping implement several local initiatives in partnership. They too have witnessed

the need for an incubator space in the area that can allow for professional work and

supportive services with dependable wifi, which is critical for entrepreneurs to develop

their startups and help grow their business. Pressures of long-term leases often stop

local entrepreneurs in their tracks preventing them from getting off the ground. The BBT

will be a key player in gathering local intelligence from their membership as it relates to

this project and help market and promote the initiative to the local business community.

6. Innisfil Economic Development Office: is heavily invested in providing tools and

resources to scaleable startups to help them grow and succeed. DMZ Innisfil started as

Ryerson University’s business incubator, it is now one of Canada’s largest (and most

successful) business incubators for emerging tech startups. The DMZ is open to all

companies that meet its criteria. Successful candidates work out of the dedicated

accelerator space at 8000 Yonge St, in Innisfil, and get access to DMZ’s full suite of

services – connecting them with customers, capital, and experts to help them grow. DMZ

has fueled 450+ startups and raised over $700 million in seed funding (and counting!).

We hope to leverage the services being offered through the DMZ and utilize Innisfil’s

experience in the development of our feasibility study.

7. New Tecumseth Economic Development Office: states in their strategic plan that

fostering and supporting a culture of entrepreneurship helps area businesses succeed

and encourages business people to take risks and create new jobs or opportunities. In

turn, this insulates the local economy from overreliance on a single industry.

Entrepreneurship offers an opportunity for youth (though this is not limited by age) to

stay and invest in their home community. Supportive networks such as a business-

friendly municipality, access to venture capital, and connections to information assist in

fostering entrepreneurship. The BCC will target entrepreneurs in the entire South

Simcoe area, thereby improving the landscape of support systems for SMEs and help

accomplish this strategic priority for the municipality. The New Tecumseth Economic

Development Office will be a valued member of the advisory committee as they


represent a large segment of the entrepreneurial marketplace and can assist in

identifying gaps and needed resources.

Reporting Metrics: Upon approval of County of Simcoe funding, the Office of Economic Development will begin a public procurement process that will include a detailed ‘scope of work’ and request proposals from qualified professionals. A Steering Committee would likely be established. The proposal would include key milestones with associated timelines that can be utilized to track progress and assist in gathering reporting metrics. Metrics will also be collected from the primary and secondary research initiatives regarding number of people who participated, sectors represented, as well as the community groups engaged. The feasibility study results will provide relevant benchmark data and summarize the full outcome of stakeholder engagement, secondary research and environmental scan elements of the project. The business and operational plan will detail key success factors and metrics to assess the status of implementation efforts. Communication Plan Including Funding Recognition

The County of Simcoe will be recognized in all promotional and marketing materials, as well as

through all primary research activities (e.g. focus groups, interviews, surveys). BWG will

acknowledge the funding support through regular updates to the regional partnership group.

The County will also be acknowledged in all reports; such as the feasibility study, business and

operations plan and throughout the implementation phase. Finally, the County will be

highlighted as a key partner in the creation of the Bradford Catalyst Centre.

Time Frame:

The public procurement process will begin immediately upon approval from the County of Simcoe. We anticipate the process will take 3 months from development of the ‘Request for Proposal’ to selecting the preferred consultant(s). Both Phase I and II are anticipated to take between 6-8 months to complete respectively. This translates to a project timeline of 15-19 months. There could be opportunities to condense this time frame with the assistance of Town staff and municipal Committee members.

Relationship to County Strategic Plan

In summary, this project seeks to form an alliance between the County of Simcoe, two business

support organizations (funded by the Federal and/or Provincial governments), three municipal

economic development offices and two academic institutions who provide support to small

businesses – all working in partnership to create a new incubator space in the Town of Bradford

West Gwillimbury. The BCC will serve to fill a service gap identified by entrepreneurs. In doing

so, we will help strengthen our local economy as we transition from COVID-19 response

initiatives to supporting small business resiliency and recovery efforts.


We will ensure that everyone's expertise is being leveraged to drive regional innovation and

growth which aligns with the County of Simcoe's Economic Development pillars of Attract, Grow

and Support. By providing a collision space, business resources and programming developed in

partnership with our regional network; we will align with the County's direction to strengthen the

municipal economic development ecosystem, leverage investment attraction, assist with labour

attraction and retention through student placement, co-op education and research

collaborations all while helping move existing businesses forward to grow and innovate.

On behalf of Town staff, I wanted to thank all of our partners for their commitment to supporting

this project. We’d especially like to recognize the County of Simcoe and economic development

staff for their continuing efforts to strengthen the regional economy and entrepreneurial

ecosystem. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this proposal.


County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26, Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1 N6

Tel: 705-726-9300 ext 1686 Fax: 705-726-9832 Email: [email protected]

County of Simcoe In-Market Special Project Fund

Final Report Template

Original Project Description:

Project Summary: Please attach as separate page to this document This section is expected to summarize project outcomes and how funding was spent. It should answer questions such as:

Did the project proceed as planned and meet the intended objectives? Please note if the project exceeded expectations and if so how.

Key metrics of project

How were funds utilized? A detailed budget breakdown (including copies of receipts/invoices) outlining how funds were spent must be included. Where possible, please note if any additional support (cash or in -kind) was leveraged.

Project Expenses Special Project Fund Contribution

($)

Partner Contribution ($)

Total

TOTAL

*Add additional lines as required* *Note:

Final reports must be submitted within 1 month of the project end date. Reports can be submitted to the Economic Development Office either by email or mail to:

County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26, Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1 N6

Tel: 705-726-9300 ext 1686 Fax: 705-726-9832 Email: [email protected]


Nottawasaga Futures

County of SimcoeEconomic Developrnent Officerrro Highway z6Midhurst, OntarioLeX rN6

January z5, zo2r

Dear Madarn or Sir,

I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury's (BWG) gt.ntapplication to the Simcoe County In-Market Special Project Fund, to assist in their efforts to create a localbusiness incubator.

BWG recently completed a2'Year COVID-r9 Resilience and Recovery Econornic Development Strategywhich highlighted many critical areas of need in the business comrnunity, particularly the need ro supportsrnall and medium'sized enterprises, work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. The strategyfurther noted aa acute shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formativedeveloprnent of start-ups and the needs of horne-based entrepreneurs to grow their business.

BWG plans to renovate a recently-purchased forrner school to act as a multi-functional work space forsocial services and start-up businesses. Presently, 5,ooo square feet of this building has been reserved for a

business incubator. Much work needs to be done to assess how best to utilize this space, retrofit it to suitthe needs of new business owners and/ ot expanding entrepreneurial ventures, and to create a sustainablemodel that will maximize the growth potential of these businesses.

As a partner that has worked extensively with BWG over the past several years delivering rnany businesssupport programs and grants, I wholly support BWG's efforts to bring this much needed business incubatorspace to fruition.

I would be pleased to provide any further information you reguire, at your earliest convenience.

Yours truly,

Martin Kuzma, CEONottawasaga Futures

39 Viclorio Street Eost

PO Box 1 84Alliston ON L9R lvs

I:7Q5-435-1540T:905-775-9119T: 800-509-7554

[email protected]. nottowosogo.com

F:705-435-6907


SMALL BUSINESS

CENTRE 705-720-2445 24 Maple Avenue

Barrie, ON [email protected] Barrie Simcoe County Orillia

L4N 1R7 barriebusinesscentre.ca

January 27th, 2020

County of Simcoe Economic Development Office

1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, ON. LOL 1X1

RE: Letter of Support for Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury's (BwG) Funding Proposal - In-Market

Special Project Fund

To Whom It May Concern:

On behalf of the Small Business Centre of Barrie, Orillia, and Simcoe County (SBEC), it is my distinct

pleasure to write this letter to offer our support to the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury (BWG) for their proposal to the County of Simcoe for the In-Market Special Project Fund.

SBEC is committed to growing business and supporting entrepreneurship within our region and BWG

seamlessly plays a role in assisting with our continued efforts. Both SBEC and BWG work to uplift the

Simcoe County business community by bringing together resources, exchanges of knowledge, and

ideas to build a network of sharing and innovation right in our own beautiful backyard. However,

when there are resources missing from businesses and entrepreneurs who need them most, we work

to address the gaps that must be filled.

Being one of 57 small business enterprise centres across Ontario, and having built numerous

relationships with local businesses, we have recognized a need to support small and medium-sized

enterprises, work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. There is an acute shortage of small

commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formative development of start-ups and the needs

of home-based entrepreneurs to grow their business. BWG plans to renovate a recently-purchased

former school to act as a multi-functional work space for social services and start-up businesses.

We are excited to support the proposed business incubator space as it will contribute to the

improvement of our entrepreneurial ecosystem tremendously. SBEC will be able to leverage this

space as a key resource to developing and supporting businesses as they grow in our region. By

assessing how best to utilize this space, retrofitting it to suit the needs of new business owners

and/or expanding entrepreneurial ventures, and creating a sustainable model, we know many

entrepreneurs and organizations will be setup for success on their journey forward.


I would be happy to discuss our involvement and experience working with BWG further and delighted to offer our strong support for the efforts to bring this much needed business incubator space to

fruition.

Sincerely,

Dave Hyde

Manager, Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County & Orillia


County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1N6 Dear Madam or Sir, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s (BWG) grant application to the Simcoe County In-Market Special Project Fund, to assist in their efforts to create a local business incubator. BWG recently completed a 2-Year COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Economic Development Strategy which highlighted many critical areas of need in the business community, particularly the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises, work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. The strategy further noted an acute shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formative development of start-ups and the needs of home-based entrepreneurs to grow their business. BWG plans to renovate a recently-purchased former school to act as a multi-functional work space for social services and start-up businesses. Presently, 5,000 square feet of this building has been reserved for a business incubator. Much work needs to be done to assess how best to utilize this space, retrofit it to suit the needs of new business owners and/or expanding entrepreneurial ventures, and to create a sustainable model that will maximize the growth potential of these businesses. We have experienced this process with Catapult Grey Bruce and have seen immediate positive impacts to the business community and ecosystem with their launch. Our centre can support BWG with partnership on delivering The Further Faster Business Accelerator program to early stage start-ups, in addition to support with scale up and growth mentorship on expertise that is not covered by their centre including patents and IP, eCommerce, Fractional CFO, and getting angel investment ready. We will extend the XcelerateHER initiative to this area and provide access to mentorship, virtual and hybrid events in future, and increasing visibility. As well through our partnership with Uplift Black Business we can extend the support to BIPOC entrepreneurs where gaps exist. We will provide support at the request of BWG and ensure that the reach of their programming and opportunities also extend to our geographic outreach including seven campus communities (Orillia, Midland, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Muskoka, Orangeville and Barrie) and global alumni network. I wholly support BWG’s efforts to bring this much needed business incubator space to fruition. I would be pleased to provide any further information you require, at your earliest convenience. Yours truly, Sara Bentham Director The Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre Georgian College Email: [email protected]


January 28, 2021

County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1N6 Dear Madam or Sir, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s (BWG) grant application to the Simcoe County In-Market Special Project Fund, to assist in their efforts to create a local business incubator. I am aware that BWG recently completed a 2-Year COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Economic Development Strategy which highlighted many critical areas of need in the local business community, particularly the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises, work-from-home professionals, and entrepreneurs. This proposal will assist in addressing a problem that was also identified in their strategy - an acute shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formative development of start-ups and the needs of home-based entrepreneurs to grow their business. BWG’s plans to renovate a recently purchased former school as a multi-functional work space for social services and start-up businesses, could significantly help to address the need for entrepreneurial incubation space. As a nearby economic development partner in Orillia also engaged in the formation of a much-needed innovation space, I can appreciate the work that needs to be done to assess how best to utilize an existing space, to design and retrofit it to suit the needs of new business owners and/or expanding entrepreneurial ventures, while ensuring a sustainable model that maximizes the growth potential for local Town of BWG businesses.

Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans, DMus Principal

t: (705) 330-4008 ext. 2012 e: [email protected]


As the only university partner in the County, we may be able to provide support from Lakehead faculty and researchers collaborating on research and development with local entrepreneurs. I look forward to supporting them as they build out this initiative that will strengthen another key node in the entrepreneurial network across Simcoe County and I wholly support their efforts to bring this much needed business incubator space to fruition for Bradford West Gwillimbury. Please feel free to contact me for any further information you may require. Sincerely,

Dr. Dean Jobin-Bevans Principal, Orillia Campus Lakehead University


County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1N6 Dear Madam or Sir, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s (BWG) grant application to the Simcoe County In-Market Special Project Fund, to assist in their efforts to create a local business incubator. BWG recently completed a 2-Year COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Economic Development Strategy which highlighted many critical areas of need in the business community, particularly the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises, work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. The strategy further noted an acute shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formative development of start-ups and the needs of home-based entrepreneurs to grow their business. BWG plans to renovate a recently-purchased former school to act as a multi-functional work space for social services and start-up businesses. Presently, 5,000 square feet of this building has been reserved for a business incubator. Much work needs to be done to assess how best to utilize this space, retrofit it to suit the needs of new business owners and/or expanding entrepreneurial ventures, and to create a sustainable model that will maximize the growth potential of these businesses. As a partner that has worked extensively with BWG over the past several years we too have witnessed the need for this initiative. Appropriate spaces that allow for professional work, supportive services, with dependable wifi is critical for entrepreneurs to develop their startups and grow. Pressures of long-term leases often stop local entrepreneurs in their tracks, unable to get off the ground. I wholly support BWG’s efforts to bring this much needed business incubator space to fruition. I would be pleased to provide any further information you require, at your earliest convenience. Yours truly,

Tricia Barrett-Butler Chief Administrative Officer Bradford Board Of Trade

61 Holland Street East

PO Box 1713

Bradford, ON L3Z2B9

905-778-8727

[email protected]


January 22, 2021 County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1N6 Re: Letter of Support, To Whom It May Concern, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s (BWG) grant application to the Simcoe County In-Market Special Project Fund, to assist in their efforts to create a local business incubator. BWG recently completed a 2-Year COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Economic Development Strategy which highlighted many critical areas of need in the business community, particularly the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises, work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. The strategy further noted an acute shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formative development of start-ups and the needs of home-based entrepreneurs to grow their business. BWG plans to renovate a recently-purchased former school to act as a multi-functional work space for social services and start-up businesses. Presently, 5,000 square feet of this building has been reserved for a business incubator. Much work needs to be done to assess how best to utilize this space, retrofit it to suit the needs of new business owners and/or expanding entrepreneurial ventures, and to create a sustainable model that will maximize the growth potential of these businesses. As a partner that has worked extensively with BWG over the past several years, including through the consulting program with Nottawasaga Futures, Innisfil wholly supports BWG’s efforts to bring this much needed business incubator space to fruition. I would be pleased to provide any further information you require, at your earliest convenience. Regards,

Dan Taylor, Economic Development Catalyst Town of Innisfil


County of Simcoe Economic Development Office 1110 Highway 26 Midhurst, Ontario L9X 1N6 January 25, 2021 Dear Madam or Sir, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for the Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury’s (BWG) grant application to the Simcoe County In-Market Special Project Fund to assist in their efforts to create a local business incubator. BWG recently completed a 2-Year COVID-19 Resilience and Recovery Economic Development Strategy which highlighted many critical areas of need in the business community, particularly the need to support small and medium-sized enterprises, work-from-home professionals and entrepreneurs. The strategy further noted an acute shortage of small commercial and industrial spaces to assist in the formative development of start-ups and the needs of home-based entrepreneurs to grow their business. BWG plans to renovate a recently-purchased former school to act as a multi-functional work space for social services and start-up businesses. Presently, 5,000 square feet of this building has been reserved for a business incubator. Much work needs to be done to assess how best to utilize this space, retrofit it to suit the needs of new business owners and/or expanding entrepreneurial ventures, and to create a sustainable model that will maximize the growth potential of these businesses. As a partner that has worked extensively with BWG over the past several years on a variety of projects aimed at benefitting the economic landscape throughout southern Simcoe County, I am happy to support BWG’s efforts to bring this much needed business incubator space to fruition. I would be pleased to provide any further information you require, at your earliest convenience. Yours truly,

Darcy Brooke-Bisschop Economic Development Officer Town of New Tecumseth 705-435-3900 Ext. 1230 [email protected]


county of simcoe in-market special project fund

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