Woolwich Eds

Shaping Woolwichs Economic Future
FINAL REPORT
Prepared for
Township of Woolwich
By
1B
and
In association with
EDP Consulting
March 2011
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROJECT SUMMARY
1 INTRODUCTION AND STUDY CONTEXT ........................................................................... 1
Woolwich Township Overview/Locational Context.................................................................. 1
Objectives for Preparation of Economic Development Plan .................................................... 5
Existing Economic Development Initiatives and Related Plans............................................... 6
Study Process .......................................................................................................................11
Glossary of Terms .................................................................................................................12
2 ECONOMIC BASE ANALYSIS........................................................................................... 14
Woolwich Township in the Broader Regional Labour/Jobs Context .......................................14
Population and Demographic Characteristics ........................................................................17
Labour Force and Employment by Sector .............................................................................21
Sector Concentration and Growth Trends Review .................................................................24
Construction Activity Trends ..................................................................................................33
Economic Analysis Conclusions ............................................................................................33
3 RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS ...................................................................................... 36
Five Sectoral Focus Group Sessions Held ............................................................................36
Manufacturing Sector Focus Group .......................................................................................37
Services Sector Focus Group................................................................................................38
Tourism, Arts and Culture Focus Group ................................................................................38
Institutional Sector.................................................................................................................39
Agriculture and Rural Businesses .........................................................................................40
Overall Vision for Woolwichs Economy from Focus Groups .................................................40
Input Received at Public Meetings ........................................................................................42
Youth Consultation Session ..................................................................................................43
Results of Online Survey of Businesses ................................................................................44
4 STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES & THREATS (SWOT) ANALYSES ..... 46
Sectoral SWOT Reports ........................................................................................................46
Key Strengths Support Sustainable Competitive Advantages................................................50
5 PRIORITY OPPORTUNITIES, TRENDS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NEEDS ....... 52
Priority Opportunities and Economic Drivers .........................................................................52
Taking Advantage of Relevant Regional Growth and Development Trends...........................57
General Economic Development Needs to be Addressed by Strategies ...............................60
6 RECOMMENDED VISION, STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC

ACTIONS.................................................................................................................................. 65
Township of Woolwich Economic Development Vision ..........................................................65
Woolwichs Core Values........................................................................................................65
Evaluation Criteria for Strategic Directions, Objectives and Actions ......................................66
Recommended Areas of Focus .............................................................................................67
Recommended Strategic Directions ......................................................................................68
Specific Objectives and Potential Actions for Each Strategic Direction ..................................72
7 IMPLEMENTATION GUIDELINES AND CONCLUSION .................................................... 83
Short Term Action Plan .........................................................................................................83
Monitoring and Evaluation of Progress ..................................................................................83
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................85
APPENDIX A JOBS IN WOOLWICH BY SUB-SECTOR .................................................... A-1
APPENDIX B MEMBERS OF PROJECT TEAM AND STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE ....... B-1
APPENDIX C RESULTS OF SECTORAL FOCUS GROUPS .............................................. C-1
APPENDIX D RESULTS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS .............................................................. D-1
APPENDIX E RESULTS OF YOUTH CONSULTATION SESSION ..................................... E-1
APPENDIX F LIST OF DOCUMENTS USED ...................................................................... F-1
APPENDIX G LIST OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE CONSULTATION PROCESS ................. G-1
Project Summary
This Economic Development Plan provides an opportunity for the Township of Woolwich to
shape the future of its economy. Implementing the Plan will enable Woolwich to leverage its
existing strengths and respond to economic challenges and opportunities in a way which
balances the needs and interests of many different groups. This is a strategic plan, which is a
blueprint for the Townships economic future. It outlines overall strategic directions and
recommendations for pursuing balanced economic growth. It also provides an important frame
of reference for the Townships Council and staff to make informed decisions regarding issues
and developments that affect the economy.
Objectives of Economic Development Planning Process

The overall objectives for the Woolwich Economic Development Plan were as follows:
To develop a holistic and integrated framework and action plan (economic development
plan) to guide long term local economic development in the Township of Woolwich.
To develop an implementable economic development plan that sustains a vibrant, diverse,

and resilient community economy, integrated into wider economic spheres.
To meaningfully engage the community during the planning process and to develop effective
working relationships for future projects and initiatives.
To ensure that the framework, programs and projects resulting from this economic
development planning process are rooted in the community and connected to existing plans.
Principal Steps in the Study Process

This Economic Development Plan was prepared by a consulting team consisting of Hardy
Stevenson and Associates Limited, Economic Growth Solutions Inc., and EDP Consulting. The
consultants reported to a Township Project Team which consisted of the CAO, Director of
Engineering and Planning, Manager of Planning, and the Economic Development and Tourism
Officer. The research and consultation process involved a sequence of several key steps
including the following:
1. Review of existing studies, documents, plans and data.
2. Preparation of a comprehensive economic base analysis, primarily making use of economic
data for the Township of Woolwich available from the 2001 and 2006 Censuses.
3. Consultation:
Extensive sectoral consultations were undertaken by holding discussion sessions with

representatives of the principal sectors of the economy including: agriculture and rural
businesses; manufacturing; tourism & recreation and arts & culture; services; and,
institutional. In addition to these sector-specific sessions, a Stakeholder Committee
consisting of business representatives from all of the sectoral groupings, along with staff
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Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary
from the Region of Waterloo, provided feedback to the consulting team in the form of
three workshop sessions conducted during the course of the project. Further community
consultations were undertaken by holding two public information meetings and a session
with youth. The Township Council also provided input in a facilitated discussion session
at which the Woolwich Economic Development Plans preliminary recommendations
were discussed.
4. Based on all of the preceding research, analysis and consultation, the consultants identified
areas of opportunity and developed specific recommendations regarding overall strategic
directions, specific objectives and potential strategic actions required to effectively promote
and manage economic growth in the Township over the next decade.
5. The final step of the project involved preparation of implementation guidelines, including a
short term Action Plan and recommendations for monitoring and evaluating progress.
Economic Base Analysis

The most recent comprehensive economic data available for the Township is from the 2006
Census. This data was analyzed by the consulting team to provide insights on the population
base, labour force and economic structure of the Township. This analysis indicated that the
largest components of the economy are:
Agriculture (9.2% of all jobs in Woolwich);
Manufacturing (23.1% of jobs);
Retail and wholesale trade (23.6% of jobs);
Business services (13.0% of jobs); and
Other services (9.2% of jobs).
It is important to note that within retail trade and other services, there are a considerable
number of jobs that are supported by the tourism sector, particularly in such sub-sectors as:
accommodation and food services; retail trade; and arts, entertainment and recreation.
A basic conclusion of the Economic Base Analysis is that the Township of Woolwich already
has a high performance economy with strength in manufacturing and industrial, agriculture,
retailing and wholesaling, tourism, and services. It also has the presence of some emerging
sectors such as renewable energy technology companies and high-tech knowledge-based
businesses. The strong agricultural sector is a particularly unique feature in such close
proximity to a booming metropolitan region. Woolwich can continue to build on its strengths in
each of the core sectors and plan for future growth by ensuring adequate provision for
employment lands of all types within its Official Plan.
Priority Opportunities
Based on the Economic Base Analysis, review of trends and information relevant to key sectors,
and the consultations with the business community, priority opportunities were identified in
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sectors of the economy. These are the sectors that are expected to continue to be the
economic drivers for Woolwich. These principal areas of opportunity include:
Incremental opportunities in agriculture and rural businesses including: the potential for
expanding organic agriculture; further expanding, branding and marketing Woolwichs fresh
produce; and the potential for additional smaller-scale specialty food processing operations
making use of local produce.
Opportunities in advanced manufacturing and technology manufacturing including:

transportation equipment manufacturing; computer and electronic products manufacturing;
and electrical equipment, appliance and component manufacturing. Renewable energy
technology is another opportunity within this category.
Tourism & recreation and arts & culture opportunities include: further development and
promotion of culinary tourism and agri-tourism products and packages; and, strengthening
Woolwichs outdoor activity offerings to draw more of the outdoor adventure and ecotourism
market including hikers, cyclists and golfers, among others.
Knowledge-based high-tech sector business opportunities including: computer and

communication software development; new media and other communications and graphic
design oriented companies; specialized engineering and design firms related to the hightech sector or advanced manufacturing; and, other professional service firms that support
local and regional industry and residents.
Incremental development of retail and commercial and office premises in the individual
community cores to ensure that a healthy mix of retail, commercial and office space is
available at several different locations within the Township to serve local residents,
businesses and visitors.
General Economic Development Needs to be Addressed

The research, analysis and consultations also identified several categories of general economic
development needs that must be addressed by the recommended strategies of this Economic
Development Plan. These needs include:
1. Land use planning and management that will support the Townships economic
development objectives by ensuring continued protection of agricultural lands, designating
sufficient employment lands for the long-term, and generally ensuring that Woolwichs
physical and economic planning are aligned.
2. The need to manage the ongoing development of appropriate transportation and utilities
including motorized and non-motorized transportation routes, public transit services, and key
utilities and services such as water, sewer, electricity and communications infrastructure.
3. The need to support and strengthen existing businesses, enabling them to expand and
prosper, while at the same time encouraging entrepreneurs to develop new businesses.
This recognizes that much economic growth occurs from the expansion and diversification of
existing enterprises, along with the development of new enterprises within the community.
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4. Effective internal and external communications, which are essential to facilitate economic
development. Internal communications within the business community and between the
business community and the Township would benefit from enhancement. There is also a
need for better external communications in order to strengthen the image and awareness of
Woolwich as a place to visit, a place to live, and a place to do business.
5. Access to appropriately trained and skilled labour is a critical location factor for businesses
that must be addressed by specific strategies. In addition to better facilitating access to
skills development and training and education, enhanced public transit services can better
enable businesses to access and attract the regional labour force.
6. Effective economic development is dependent on partnerships with the business
community, all levels of government, and various business and community associations and
non-profit organizations. Much partnering already takes place, but the consultations
identified additional opportunities and these have been reflected in the recommendations of
this Plan.
7. Effective monitoring and evaluation of ongoing economic development initiatives and
activities is essential for achieving results. It is important to review progress on an ongoing
basis and then refine the strategic economic development activities that are pursued from
year to year.
Summary of Recommendations
There are two overall areas of focus with associated economic development strategic directions
that will enable Woolwich to grow and prosper as a diversified economy while maintaining its
distinctive individual community cores and rural landscapes:
1. Strategic Planning and Management of Economic Development; and,
2. Developing Sector Specific Opportunities.
The recommendations for each of these areas of focus are listed in the following tables.
Strategic Planning and Management of Economic Development
Strategic Direction
Objectives
1. Implement well1.1 To provide strong

managed,
economic-development
balanced,
oriented input into the
responsible growth
Official Plan and Zoning
across the
By-law review process,
Township,
Regional growth and
supporting and
employment lands
maintaining its
strategies, and other
identity, sense of
applicable projects and
place, rural
strategies.
landscape and
distinct community
cores.
1.2 To continue protection of
agricultural lands.
Potential Strategic Actions

1. Ensure that the Woolwich Economic Development Plan
is a key point of reference throughout the scoped Official
Plan Review Process. The Economic Development &
Tourism Officer should be involved throughout this
process.
2. Township of Woolwich to continue to coordinate with and
participate in projects and strategies led by other
organizations regarding growth, employment lands, and
industrial lands to ensure consistency with Woolwichs
economic development plans.
1. Discuss agricultural requirements for the short, medium,

and long term with stakeholders on a regular basis.
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Strategic Direction
Objectives
1. In conjunction with the 2011 Go to Market Strategy and

1.3 To designate sufficient
employment lands for longother resources and partners, assess and analyze the
term needs.
potential for employment lands in all parts of the
Township of Woolwich. This should include a review of
the land supply, servicing status, ownership, quality, and
other factors affecting utilization.
2. Investigate the potential for employment land focused
knowledge-based industries.
1.4 To plan for and facilitate a
balance of appropriate
housing forms in each
community.
1. Ensure sufficient lands available in suitable locations for

appropriate mix of appropriate housing.
2. Plan for servicing of any potential subdivisions and infill
projects.
1.5 To plan for commercial

needs.
1. Conduct a Commercial Needs study to determine current

and future needs for commercial development.
2. Complete Secondary Plans for Breslau and The
Stockyards
1.6 To continue planning for

1. Through partnerships with organizations (including
the health and uniqueness
Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, CFDC, OMAFRA,
of community cores and
WRTMC, Elmira Business Improvement Area (BIA)) and
implement strategies and
funding opportunities, develop and implement
actions, as appropriate and
appropriate initiatives, strategies and projects.
feasible, that will help to
minimize displacement of
2. The Economic Development & Tourism Officer will
uses out of the community
provide support and expertise to any Business
cores.
Improvement Area (BIA) and/or business-oriented
organization in Woolwich.
3. Review Elmira Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to
assess opportunities.
4. Implement projects designed to investigate and
communicate sense of place and identity to develop
uniqueness of community core areas (e.g. Photograph
Study).
5. Review and communicate applicable By-laws and
processes related to core areas to ensure that existing
and new property owners and business owners are
informed.
6. Review and communicate Public Parking infrastructure,
By-laws, processes, and contact information to business
owners and property owners with an emphasis on the
relationship between parking and perception of the
health of an area.
7. Communicate through various media that the Township
values the distinct community core areas.
8. Coordinate and implement seminars, workshops, and/or
training sessions on issues raised by core area
businesses.
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Strategic Direction
Objectives

9. Support the retention of viable and strong residential
neighbourhoods around the community core areas.
10. Encourage and facilitate the development of
pedestrian-oriented and human scale development and
redevelopment.
1.7 To implement the scoped

By-law review process.
1. Commence implementation of the scoped Official Plan

Review process once the Economic Development Plan is
completed and adopted by Council.
2. Incorporate recommendations and objectives from the
Economic Development Plan into the scoped Official
Plan Review Process.
3. Involve the Economic Development & Tourism Officer in
the scoped Official Plan Review process.
1.8 To support and encourage

infill development and reuse of existing buildings
and sites (including
brownfields).
1. Continue to support and participate on Waterloo

Regions Brownfields Committee.
2. Continue to develop a Township of Woolwich
Brownfields Community Improvement Plan through the
Regions Pilot Project Funding in partnership with North
Dumfries, Wellesley, and Wilmot Townships.
1.9 To facilitate and support

1. Conduct a facilitated discussion / working session with
specific uses, businesses,
stakeholders and organizations to generate a list of the
industry, and/or investment
uses, businesses, industry, and investment desired for
for the Township.
Woolwich, and an action plan for moving forward.
2. Be proactive in facilitating relationships regarding new
businesses, new investment, and new development.
1.10 To protect and enhance
1. Consider establishing a Heritage Advisory Committee.
the heritage and historic 2. Compile an inventory of heritage
attributes of the Township
buildings/properties/assets.
and ensure
3.
Explore historical designations, design guidelines for
redevelopment and
heritage buildings, and develop appropriate Official Plan
activities do not detract
Policies.
from it.
2. Ensure strategic
2.1 To support upgrading and 1.
Undertake a detailed review of the Townships road
development of
connection of roads,
transportation requirements for the medium and longer
infrastructure in
sidewalks, walkways,
term. This should include consideration of the following
support of wellcycling routes, buggy
issues that have been raised during the Economic
managed and
routes, highway
Development Planning Process:
responsible growth
infrastructure to safely and
Additional paved shoulders or bike and horse and
(e.g. transportation,
efficiently facilitate the
buggy lanes along major routes, similar to the wide
utilities).
movement of people and
paved shoulder along Highway 85 between St. Jacobs
goods.
and Elmira
Additional cycling/buggy routes/trails and
sidewalks/walkways, where needed
Review of truck movements through the principal
communities
Principal road and highway widening requirements
that may be needed in the future.
2.2 To work with the Region
1. Work proactively with the Region to identify
and other appropriate
improvements required to roads/highways under regional
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Strategic Direction
Objectives
organizations to research
jurisdiction. This would include interfacing effectively
and develop innovative
with the region in connection with any regional
design standards for
transportation planning initiatives and lobbying for
streets and associated
improvements within Woolwich, as required.
infrastructure that support
and encourage main street
styles of development.
2.3 To continue support for the 1. Discuss bus routes and times on a regular basis with the
development and
Region, partners, and stakeholders to ensure that it is
enhancement of public
meeting the needs of the Woolwich community.
transit infrastructure and
options.
2. Obtain updated statistics on Grand River Transit (GRT)
ridership in Woolwich on a quarterly basis and report to
Senior Management and Council.
2.4 To assess potential for rail 1. Discuss the Tourist Train with Waterloo Region and City
service (tourism and
of Waterloo.
freight).
2. Discuss rail freight needs and feasibility with the Region,
area municipalities, and other stakeholders.
2.5 To facilitate orderly
1. Review Townships other infrastructure components
development (including
including water, sewer, electricity and communications,
expansion) of key utilities
to ensure they will meet requirements of growth over
and services as required
next 10 to 15 years. These services need to be looked
including: water, sewer,
at particularly in relation to any additional industrial lands
electricity, and
that may be designated as part of the Official Plan
communications.
Review Process. Full water and sewer services will be
particularly important for the retention and attraction of
larger operations such as food processing facilities.
2.6 Continue support of and
1. Township should liaise with the Airport on an ongoing
coordination with Waterloo
basis and participate actively in their planning processes.
Region International
Airport.
2. Keep up to date on all airport related developments onsite and on adjacent lands.
3. Incorporate information about the Airport in appropriate
marketing and communication material / initiatives.
2.7 Continue to develop and
1. Maintain support for Township of Woolwich visitor
support development and
services.
maintenance of Recreation
and Tourism infrastructure.
3. Build awareness
3.1 To maintain a strong,
and support for
systematic Business
local businesses
Retention & Expansion
and strengthen and
Program to connect and
support
strengthen businesses.
entrepreneurism.
1. Continue implementation of Business Visitation Program

with Manager of Planning and report to Council on an
annual basis.
2. Continue implementation of an annual Salute to
Woolwich Businesses event, and explore partnerships
for this event.
3. In conjunction with the Office of the Mayor, continue to
develop and implement initiatives recognizing Woolwich
business successes and initiative (e.g. Certificates of
Appreciation).
4. Continue to develop positive and strong relationships
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Strategic Direction
Objectives

with the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, Waterloo
Region Small Business Centre (SBC), and other
business support organizations to ensure appropriate
and effective support for Woolwich businesses (e.g.
training, information).
5. Request that the Waterloo Region Small Business
Centre coordinate with the Economic Development &
Tourism Officer to develop customized resources for
Woolwich businesses and entrepreneurs.
Centre provide one-on-one business counselling
services at least six times per year in Woolwich.
Centre maintain the information kiosk in the Township of
Woolwich Administration Building.
3.2 To support, encourage,

and facilitate
entrepreneurialism.
1. Work with partners and organizations to implement and

develop targeted workshops, programs, and other
education and resources geared to entrepreneurs (e.g.
The Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, CFDC).
2. Recognize and communicate Woolwich entrepreneurs in
appropriate media and at events (e.g. Salute to
Woolwich Businesses).
3. Develop communication tools for new businesses and/or
prospective business owners to illustrate that Woolwich
is supportive of entrepreneurs (e.g. website, Facebook,
workshop).
4. Investigate the potential of developing an incubator to
assist start-up businesses / entrepreneurs.
4. Develop and
4.1 To ensure that Woolwichs 1. Work with partners, staff, and stakeholders to fine-tune
implement effective
economic development
economic development core values.
tools and programs
vision, identity, and core
to communicate,
values reflect the strengths 2. In partnership with other organizations and stakeholders,
support and
and aspirations of the
work on development of an images bank.
develop the local
community, and are clearly
community
defined and
3. In partnership with Senior Management and Council,
economy within
communicated.
discuss developing a new wordmark / logo for the
Woolwich and
Township of Woolwich.
beyond.
4. In partnership with other departments, develop a
communications strategy for economic development in
Woolwich.
5. In all communications material, ensure that Woolwichs
identity, opportunities and other facts are clearly
projected.
6. Increase the visibility and awareness of the assets and
opportunities in Woolwich Township.
4.2 To work with stakeholders
1. Economic Development and Tourism Officer to deliver
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Strategic Direction
Objectives
and partners to ensure that

signage presentation to Township Council for the
effective signage and a
purpose of obtaining support for enhanced signage
public-sector signage
initiatives.
program are developed
and implemented
throughout the Township.
4.3 To maintain a website
1. Further develop the Economic Development component
presence with accurate
of the Townships website. The Township has an easyand useful information.
to-navigate website which has an attractive and
professional look. Economic Development is a distinct
segment of the website and web surfers can easily spot
the tab. What is needed is further development of the
different pages for this component of the website.
Comprehensive information is available in the
Community Profile and the Vacant Industrial Land
Inventory which can be put on the website, as well as
adding the following: key opportunities for businesses;
targeted sectors; current economic drivers and key
clusters; Woolwichs competitive advantages; other key
attributes that would encourage business development
within Woolwich or Business and Investment Attraction to
it.
4.4 To connect with investors, 1. Develop a guide to business in Woolwich outlining
visitors, and the
processes, required resources, and contacts.
marketplace to ensure that
the right information and
2. Coordinate with other area municipalities, stakeholders,
support materials are
and partner organizations to obtain information.
available.
5. Support the current 5.1 To be proactive in helping 1. Work with partners, organizations, and stakeholders to
and potential
to retain youth and attract
explore opportunities for youth.
labour force in
labour in the prime working
Woolwich
age group.
2. Work with local schools, churches, the WCS, and other
Township to retain,
partners to conduct regular focus groups with youth to
attract, and
assess their needs (skills, amenities, education, etc.).
develop talent and
a strong work
3. Support and encourage the type(s) and form(s) of
ethic.
development and amenities that attracts and retains
talent.
6. Continue to
6.1 To be proactive in
develop positive
partnering with the
partnerships and
business community and
relationships in
other relevant
support of the local
organizations within
community
Woolwich and the Region.
economy.
7. Maintain Effective
and Timely
Program
Development,
Management &
Implementation,
and Evaluation
7.1 To implement the

Woolwich Economic
Development Plan
effectively.
1. Participate in and/or assist with coordinating regular

meetings with municipal staff regarding economic
development issues and trends.
2. Coordinate at least one (1) Greater KW Chamber of
Commerce Board Meeting in Woolwich per year
3. Continue to support the development of a Woolwich
Chapter of the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.
1. Township of Woolwich Staff should maintain their
expertise at a high level by taking appropriate training,
attending appropriate workshops, seminars,
conferences, and engaging in research and education to
maintain an awareness of trends, opportunities, and
current studies.
2. Review the Plan and status of Objectives and Actions at
least once per year and report to Senior Management
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Strategic Direction
Objectives

and Council.
3. Evaluate progress against measurable / benchmarks
(Metrics).
4. Consider forming Stakeholder Committees/Task
Forces/Project Teams on an as-needed basis to guide
projects.
7.2 To ensure that data and

information used in
reporting and decisionmaking is current and
correct.
1. Develop a list of key indicators and data sources and

share among departments.
7.3 To evaluate sector-specific 1. Participate in regional discussions in relation to business

opportunities in partnership
and economic development opportunities that may affect
with stakeholders and
Woolwich.
appropriate organizations
on an ongoing basis.
2. Review potential opportunities in task forces or as project
teams.
Developing Sector Specific Opportunities
Strategic Directions
Objectives
1. Maintain and
1.1 To maintain the existing
enhance the strong
strong policy framework that
base of agriculture
protects agricultural land.
and rural
businesses.
and partners to facilitate
development and
enhancement of rural
enterprises within an
appropriate policy
framework.
and partners to develop
niche opportunities for
agricultural products.
1. Conduct a regular review of policy framework and

associated implementation framework to assess whether
changes are required.
1. Work with partners and stakeholders to maintain an

understanding of agricultural and rural businesses.
2. Communicate policies and guidelines to producers and
stakeholders to ensure understanding and avoid
potential conflict.
1. Investigate organic agriculture and agri-business in
Woolwich to assess viability and practicality of a niche
market.
2. Conducted scoped research on organic agriculture and
agri-business to establish an understanding and best
practices.
3. Work with partners and stakeholders to conduct a
collaborative session to discuss what Woolwichs core
and supporting agricultural products are and how to best
develop and communicate them.
4. Work with producers and stakeholders to link producers
with stores and restaurants to raise the profile of local
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Objectives

products in local restaurants.

and partners to capture
synergies of agricultural
production and marketing
with agri-tourism and
culinary tourism.
1. Continue working with stakeholders and partners to

communicate local food opportunities and benefits
through a variety of media.
2. Work with stakeholders and partners including WRTMC,
St. Jacobs Country, and Foodlink to strengthen, develop,
and communicate agri-tourism product and packages in
Woolwich.
3. Work with stakeholders and partners to develop an
appropriate design for farmgate sales locations.
4. Work with partners including Foodlink Waterloo Region,
area municipalities, stakeholders, and WRTMC to
develop and implement a regional culinary tourism
strategy.
5. Work with Township Staff to encourage incorporating

local food at municipal events.
1.5 To support youth programs, 1. Develop relationship with local schools and link-up
education, and initiatives
interested students with farmers and agri-business
that will develop future
proprietors to generate interest and enthusiasm among
employment opportunities in
youth.
the Agricultural and Rural
Business sectors.
2. Provide tours of agricultural operations and agribusinesses to school groups to help encourage interest
in the sector among youth.
2. Support and
enhance the
and partners to support and
manufacturing
attract advanced and
base with an
sustainable manufacturing
emphasis on: 1.
businesses.
advanced
manufacturing;
and, 2.
manufacturing and
technology
focused on
sustainability
principles.
2.2 To ensure appropriate
planning for the location of
future industries.
1. Continue participation and communication with CTT,

EDCO, area municipalities, Greater KW Chamber of
Commerce, Communitech, Prosperity Council, and local
businesses to explore opportunities and keep up to date
on requirements and needs.
1. Work with stakeholders and partners regarding available

land for small-, medium-, and large-scale manufacturing
and distribution operations.
2. To coordinate with the Region, area municipalities,
applicable utilities, businesses, and other stakeholders
on a regular basis to maintain a clear understanding of
the contextual issues around locating advanced and
sustainably-focused manufacturing in Woolwich (e.g.
compatibility with other Township goals, impacts on
water and sewage capacity).
2.3 To support youth programs,

1. Develop relationship between manufacturing businesses

and high schools and post-secondary institutions.
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Objectives

the Knowledge-based
sector.
2.4 To work with partners,
1. Maintain membership with the Waterloo Manufacturing
stakeholders, and
Innovation Network (MIN).
organizations to develop an
understanding of
employment issues to
determine how the Township
can assist.
3. Embrace,
3.1 To identify and implement
1. Prepare inventory of existing knowledge-based
encourage, and
networking opportunities for
businesses in Woolwich by NAICS codes and facilitate
support the
businesses and enterprises
networking of similar businesses. Important groupings of
development of the
in the Knowledge-based/
creative businesses and enterprises would include many
KnowledgeHigh Tech sector.
types of information technology businesses such as
based/High Tech
computer software, gaming, communications technology
Sector in Woolwich
development, education, research and development,
engineering, planning, design and consulting companies,
performing arts and entertainment companies, print and
electronic publishing, visual arts/graphic design, and
certain aspects of health care. Being able to network
similar types of businesses results in cross-fertilization
among entrepreneurs and leads to further development
and expansion.
3.2 To partner on initiatives and 1. Work with the Region and business community to identify
projects related to the
and partner on appropriate projects and initiatives.
Knowledge-based/High
Tech sector to clearly
understand the intra- and
inter-urban factors impacting
the decisions to locate in a
specific location.
3.3 To seek out opportunities for 1. Work in partnership with area municipalities and
Knowledge-based/ High
organizations to develop a Talent Attraction and
Tech businesses to locate in
Retention Strategy to help encourage location of
Woolwich.
knowledge-based/high tech businesses in Woolwich.
Talent attraction and retention is critical. Efforts at
downtown improvements and revitalization, urban
design, and development of cultural and recreational
amenities should be undertaken, as these are quality of
life factors important for talent attraction. Consideration
needs to be given to any gaps in lifestyle amenities, and
gaps that are adversely impacting talent attraction need
to be addressed.
3.4 To support youth programs, 1. Undertake proactive initiatives for attracting and retaining
labour in the prime working age group (ages 25-44).
Woolwich Townships labour force is under-represented
by this segment compared to Waterloo Region and
the Knowledge-based/ High
Ontario overall accounting for about 25% of the labour,
Tech sector.
compared to about 30% and 28% respectively. The
Economic Development office should liaise with
local/regional Labour Boards to address this issue. This
prime working age group makes up the majority of the
labour force for many knowledge-based businesses,
especially in the information technology sector.
4. Build on
4.1 To encourage policies and
1. Build this into Official Plan Policies and develop heritage
- xii -
Woolwichs
Tourism &
Recreation and
Arts & Cultural
Assets, Programs,
and Initiatives
Objectives
guidelines that will support

the heritage tourism assets,
amenities, and potential in
Woolwich.
preservation guidelines.
4.2 To identify and facilitate

1. Continue working with the Waterloo Region International
suitable development of
Airport to coordinate marketing and communication
public amenities,
initiatives including but not limited to: posting airport
infrastructure, and assets
information on the Townships website; adding an
with tourism/recreational and
airplane icon to appropriate marketing and
arts/culture potential.
communication material; and, inviting the Airport to the
annual Salute to Woolwich Businesses event.
2. Investigate the potential of installing a permanent power
supply in Riverside Meadows Park for public events (e.g.
Taste Local! Taste Fresh!).
3. Continue to support the Woolwich Cycling Group to
develop and communicate cycling routes within the
Township.
4.3 To ensure that Official Plan

and Zoning Law By-laws
adequately provide for
tourism/recreation and
arts/culture uses.
4. In partnership with WRTMC and other stakeholders,

conduct a scoped demand-generator workshop to asset
core generators, supporting generators, and amenities.
1. Ensure that Official Plan and Zoning By-law provides
adequate lands for tourist accommodation facilities,
restaurants and tourist-oriented retail in Woolwichs
various communities. Any such land use designations
need to be made with careful consideration of the
amenity value of particular sites. For example, tourist
oriented accommodations and related facilities work well
in close proximity to heritage downtowns, major shopping
districts, and scenic settings such as riverfronts or
waterfronts. The Township should endeavour to
maximize its potential for such facilities as part of its
Official Plan process.
4.4 To proactively develop

synergies with the
agricultural sector and retail
& food service businesses
with a focus on agri-tourism
and culinary tourism.
1. Work with regional partners to prepare and implement a

regional culinary tourism strategy. This should embrace
the Townships restaurants and food service businesses,
along with specialty food retailers and the agricultural
sector. Participants in the program can be identified on
maps, in brochures and on appropriate websites.
4.5 To better leverage the

potential of existing tourism
marketing and promotional
initiatives and resources.
1. Work closely with appropriate tourism marketing partners

to enhance the marketing and promotion of Woolwichs
tourism attractions, facilities and services. Tourism
destination marketing for the region is handled by the
Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporation.
Woolwich is a partner in this organization and its
attractions and attributes are promoted by the
organization. It is important to ensure on an ongoing
basis that the Township is well-represented in all of
WRTMCs marketing and promotional materials including
its website.
- xiii -
5. Support a Vibrant
Retail Base in
Woolwichs
Individual
Community Cores
Objectives
4.6 To promote, educate, and

incorporate art and
associated initiatives
wherever possible.
4.7 To support local festivals,
events, artists, and related
organizations.
1. Continue the Woolwich Local Art Program.

policies and Zoning By-law
support a vibrant retail base
in each community core.
1. Ensure this is accommodated in Scoped Official Plan

Review.

upgrading and beautifying
the appearance of the
community cores.
1. Research strategies and best practices for core area

health and vitality.
1. Continue working with WRTMC to communicate

Woolwich festivals, events, artists on the WRTMC
website and any other appropriate communications
material.
2. Continue to liaise with local organizations and groups to
ensure their representation on the Woolwich website and
in other communication material.
2. Investigate potential of faade programs, building

revitalization programs, and other programs designed to
improve the appearance and function of a building.
Next Steps
The consulting team recommends that staff develop a Short Term Action Plan to initiate
implementation of the Plan during the next two years, including but not limited to the following
items:
1. Adopt Woolwich Economic Development Plan in principle
2. Distribute the Plan to key partners involved in local economic development
3. Form an Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee (EDC) to assist with developing the
Short-Term Action Plan including priorities and how the items should be implemented. This
item should be completed by September 2011.
4. Seek funding support for short term initiatives in 2012 through the Townships budget
process.
5. Provide Economic Development input in to the Scoped Official Plan Review process.
6. Review and revise the Economic and Tourism information on the Townships website.
7. Continue to implement the Business Visitation Program (BVP)
8. Continue to develop the Business Retention and Expansion Program.
9. Develop and implement appropriate communications tools for supporting economic
development (e.g. newsletter, networking sessions)
- xiv -
Monitoring and evaluation of years 1 and 2 of implementation of the Woolwich Economic

Development Plan is also an important item.
This will enable Woolwich to embark on an ongoing process to effectively shape and manage its
economic future in a balanced and responsible manner for the benefit of its residents and
businesses.
- xv -
1 Introduction and Study Context

Woolwich Township Overview/Locational Context
Woolwich is located in the northeastern part of Waterloo Region. The Township is a rural /
urban community of approximately 21,000 people. In terms of overall geographic area,
Woolwich is the largest of seven municipalities within the Region and is characterized by its
agricultural countryside and 17 town and village settlements including Elmira, St. Jacobs,
Conestogo, West Montrose, and Breslau. Woolwich is bounded by the City of Cambridge to the
south, Wellington County to the east/north and Wellesley Township, City of Waterloo and City of
Kitchener to the west (see location map in Figure 1.1 below).
Figure 1.1: Woolwich Township Location Map
Introduction and Study Context
-1-
Woolwich Economic Development Plan Final Report
Distinguishing Characteristics of Woolwich

Woolwich is a very unique growing, proactive, community-oriented, and forward-thinking
municipality within Waterloo Region, Southern Ontario, and the Province. Supporting and
enhancing this uniqueness is not only important to the provincial, regional, and local
communities and economies, but also a key factor in the success of the Townships future.
There are a number of specific aspects of Woolwich that differentiate it from other areas
including:
Mennonite culture and history
A diverse economic base, which includes a strong agricultural/agri-businesses sector, along

with a strong manufacturing sector, in addition to a wide range of services and tourism
oriented businesses
Legacy of sustainable and cuttingedge agricultural businesses and organizations
Arable and beautiful countryside
Unique and established small towns and villages, each

with their own identity and community pride
High level of community volunteerism and commitment to

community health and wellness
Waterloo Region International Airport (YFK) located within

the Township. The airport is continuing to grow and
connect Waterloo Region to larger markets, with daily scheduled services offered by
Westjet, one of Canadas national carriers.
Close proximity to the hightech and education sectors in Waterloo, Kitchener, and Guelph.
Woolwich was established in its present configuration by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Act 1972, which created a regional government structure and established limits of the local
municipalities in the Waterloo area, effective January 1, 1973. Woolwich is comprised of the
former Township of Woolwich, the former Town of Elmira and part of the former Township of
Waterloo within the former County of Waterloo. The Township is comprised of approximately
31,912 hectares (78,854 acres) and is characterized by an extensive rural area, 17 residential
town and village settlements, and seven industrial/commercial areas. The three largest
settlement areas Elmira, St. Jacobs and Breslau feature a range of residential, industrial,
commercial, and recreational uses.
The majority of the population of approximately 21,000 resides in Elmira, St. Jacobs, and
Breslau. The rural areas are populated with many Old Order Mennonite farmers. The
Townships population is a combination of longstanding families and influx of new residents,
attracted to the lifestyle that the Township provides.
Woolwichs Economy
Woolwichs local economy, like those of many small, rural communities, is an economy in
transition. Rapid changes in technology, markets, resources, demographics, and other factors
-2-
substantiate and emphasize the importance of creating and supporting resilient, sustainable,
and longterm economic viability and health in the local community, by proactively facilitating
business retention and expansion, business start-ups, creation of jobs, and understanding how
and where to grow.
Historically, Woolwichs economy has been driven by agriculture and manufacturing, and these
sectors still represent 48% of the jobs in the Township. Other key sectors include: tourism;
construction; retail/wholesale trade; finance and insurance; real estate, waste management and
remediation services; and, health care and social services. Over the past few years, Woolwichs
local economy and relationship to the regional economy has changed, and it is now a good time
to define and differentiate Woolwichs role, goals, and objectives.
Currently Woolwichs largest private sector employers are primarily in the manufacturing,
wholesale, and retail sectors, as shown in Figure 1.2.
Figure 1.2: Woolwichs Top Ten Private Sector Employers
Home Hardware
1,279
Chemtura
400
Toyota Boshoku
327
Walmart
215
C3 Group
200
Trylon
183
Crompton
180
Foodland
130
Safety Kleen
100
Elmira Pet Products
94
Source: Township of Woolwich
In addition to its extensive agricultural land and the retail, services and office uses in the various
community cores (particularly in Elmira and St. Jacobs), Woolwich has several
industrial/commercial areas including:
Breslau Industrial Area,
Bast Place Industrial/Commercial Area
Stockyards Industrial Commercial Area
St. Jacobs industrial Area
Elmira Industrial Commercial Area.
-3-
Transportation and Communications Infrastructure

Woolwichs location allows for easy and quick access to the hightech, research and education
clusters in Kitchener, Waterloo, and surrounding cities, and there is an increasingly urban and
professional population of more than 2.7 million people within a 45minute drive. Woolwich is
within a short drive of major highways and rail service. All of Woolwich is equipped with fibre
optic connectivity, helping businesses from hightech to agriculture. A further important
transportation asset is the Waterloo Region International Airport (YKF), which is located in the
southern part of Woolwich at Breslau, providing convenient service for business and
recreational travelers.
Principal Tourism Oriented Attractions and Festivals/Events
Woolwich is noted for a number of unique features and attractions that draw large numbers of
visitors from the surrounding region, other parts of Ontario, and nationally and internationally.
Old-Order Mennonite Culture. This is a widely known unique feature of the area as
OldOrder Mennonite communities are prevalent in Woolwich Township, and an important
part of the local culture and economy. Fruit, vegetables, flowers, crafts, and home baking
can be purchased at Mennonite farms and roadside stands throughout the Township.
Elmira Maple Syrup Festival. This long running annual event was launched in 1965 and is
now the worlds largest oneday Maple Syrup Festival. It draws upwards of 80,000 people in
one day, including visitors from around the world.
Village of St. Jacobs. This unique heritage community is one of the

key attractions in the Waterloo Region. It is home to many historic and
cultural exhibits including the Maple Syrup Museum, the St. Jacobs Quilt
Gallery, and the Model Train Exhibit, which educate visitors on the
history and cultural heritage of the area. The Village is a stop on the
Waterloo Central Railway route and home to a number of fine
restaurants showcasing local food, unique shopping venues, parks and
trails.
St. Jacobs Farmers Market. This is one of Canada's largest

yearround farmers' markets. The vibrant agricultural heritage of
Waterloo Region has helped make the market a popular attraction for
local and regional shoppers and visitors. There are over 600
vendors indoors and out, offering a wide range of locallygrown
and produced foods and crafts throughout the year.
West Montrose Covered Bridge. This is a historic designated

bridge and locally known as the Kissing Bridge. Ontario's last
remaining covered bridge has a 198-foot span across the Grand
River and was built in 1881. Even today horsedrawn buggies
still cross the bridge, along with cars, bicycles, and pedestrians.
Fresh, Local Foods. Woolwich is home to Canadas first and only wholesale produce
auction, and to Foodlink Waterloo Region an innovative local food organization in Ontario.
-4-
Festivals such as Taste of Woolwich, the worldfamous Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, and
Taste Local! Taste Fresh! invite all to celebrate the authenticity and excellence of local
products, reinforcing Woolwichs legacy as a genuine and premier culinary destination.
Locally produced food is available all year at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market or any of the
local farms dotting the countryside.
Live Theatre. Woolwich hosts live performing arts productions for

visitors and residents. Drayton Entertainment, a professional theatre
company, presents live theatre productions at two locations: one in
the Stockyards area and the other in St. Jacobs. The Elmira
Theatre Company is a vibrant community group that presents live
theatre productions in Elmira.
Objectives for Preparation of Economic Development Plan

Woolwich is at a watershed moment. This is an opportunity for Woolwich, as a dynamic and
changing municipality, to redefine and reinvigorate itself in a collaborative and strategic manner.
It is also an opportunity to leverage Woolwichs existing strengths and unique geographic
position on the edge of a major urban centre recognized as a global leader in producing and
attracting talent and innovation. This is a defining moment, enabling Woolwich to plan its future.
It is also a time to demonstrate leadership and respond to economic challenges and
opportunities from the ground up. However, we must plan responsibly by balancing the needs
and interests of many different groups. While positive change will result from the Economic
Development Plan, we must recognize the things we are doing well and what makes Woolwich
a unique and special place.
The overall objectives of the consulting team for preparation of the Woolwich Economic
Development Plan were as follows:
To develop a holistic and integrated framework and action plan (economic development
plan) to guide long term local economic development in the Township of Woolwich.
To develop an implementable economic development plan that sustains a vibrant, diverse,

and resilient community economy, integrated into wider economic spheres.
To meaningfully engage the community during the planning process and to develop effective
working relationships for future projects and initiatives.
To ensure that the framework, programs and projects resulting from this study are rooted in
the community and connected to existing plans.
Successful economic development involves many stakeholders including local entrepreneurs

and businesses, residents, all levels of government and other organizations that are tied-in to
the community and its economy. All of these constituencies have been consulted during the
course of preparing this Plan. The fundamental characteristics of the Economic Development
Plan we have prepared are shown in the diagram of Figure 1.3.
-5-
Figure 1.3: Overall Characteristics of Woolwich Economic Development Plan
Holistic and
integrated
framework + action
plan
Meaningful
community
engagement and
relationships
Economic
Development
Project
Path to a vibrant,
diverse + resilient
economy
Alignment with
existing plans
Existing Economic Development Initiatives and Related Plans

The Township of Woolwich Council created a new fulltime position to support Economic
Development and Tourism efforts, and the new staff member was hired in December 2008.
Since being hired, the new Economic Development and Tourism Officer (EDTO) has been
focused on a number of initiatives including the following:
Developed and implemented an initial Business Visitation Program (BVP) for Woolwich,
with the target of interviewing a minimum of 24 businesses per year regarding business
retention and expansion.
Additional economic development and tourism information has been added to the
Townships website, so it can help to promote Woolwich as a place to visit, to live and to
do business, with links to the appropriate partners including Waterloo Regional Tourism
Marketing Corporation (WRTMC) and Canadas Technology Triangle (CTT), which
handles economic development marketing for the region.
Initiated development of a Woolwich Township Business Directory.
Involved in various initiatives related to the management and operations of the Visitor
Information Centres for the Township and related tourism and festivals/events marketing
and promotional support activities.
Has undertaken various public relations, promotional and communications activities in
relation to both economic development and tourism, working with appropriate industry
partners.
Has liaised on an ongoing basis with the Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing
Corporation (WRTMC) and Canadas Technology Triangle (CTT) to ensure that
Woolwichs interests are well-represented in these regional organizations.
-6-
Developed and launched the annual Salute to Woolwich Businesses event in 2010,
which will take place again this year on May 11, 2011.
Applied for and successfully secured Fed Dev funding for the preparation of this
Woolwich Economic Development Plan.
Worked with the Project Team, Stakeholder Committee and consultants on the
consultations and preparation of the Woolwich Economic Development Plan.
Future land use, population, employment, and transportation infrastructure within the Township
of Woolwich and Waterloo Region are critical inputs to accurately projecting and creating an
appropriate economic development action plan. In reviewing the various background studies
and documents we have listed in Appendix C, we found that several were particularly relevant to
the preparation of the Economic Development Plan and we have noted them below.
Woolwichs Strategic Plan
The goals listed under Growth Management and Infrastructure Renewal have a direct bearing
on economic development and are closely aligned with the objectives of the current study. The
Growth Management goals primarily relate to Official Plan policies, provision of employment
lands, ensuring preparation and implementation of the Woolwich Economic Development Plan,
trails development, long-term viability of the agricultural sector, suitable levels of development
charges, more affordable housing and the impact of the aging population. The Infrastructure
Renewal goals primarily relate to capital funding of roads, benchmarks and standards for the
road system, sustainability of water and sewer servicing, and advocating for more public transit.
Economic Development Strategic Plan from 1997
This was a fairly cursory document, although it is noteworthy that it focused on Woolwichs core
economic drivers, which are still largely the same, including agriculture, tourism,
commercial/retail, and manufacturing. It is also noteworthy that at the time there was a
Woolwich Economic Development Advisory Committee (WEDAC). It is clear that the current
plan will include a focus on these traditionally strong sectors for Woolwich and the concept of
some type of economic development committee will likely be revisited.
Woolwich Agricultural Review 2007
In 2007 the Townships Agricultural Review Committee (ARC) examined a range of value-added
uses that have been developing on farms within the Township and worked with Township staff
to develop appropriate recommendations to facilitate, but at the same time effectively manage,
the extent and nature of such proposed uses on agricultural properties. Examples of the valueadded uses that were taken into consideration include:
Various types of agri-tourism operations including hay or corn maize, petting zoo,
hay/sleigh rides, buggy or carriage rides, farm tours, processing demonstrations and
pick-your-own produce.
Non-commercial greenhouse sales operations (greenhouses used to produce products
for off-site sales, but offering some limited on-site sales)
-7-
Farm produce stands a key issue concerned the extent to which sales of non-farm
products are allowed in these stands, creating more of a retail operation incompatible
with the agricultural zoning
Other value-added farm uses such as cleaning, bagging, packaging, bundling, precutting, cooking and baking, selling manure packaged for fertilizer, making bio-diesel
fuel, etc.
The objective in relation to developing appropriate regulations for these uses is to ensure that
the agricultural character of the area is not altered and that these non-agricultural uses are
restricted to a minimum footprint, so as not to be encroaching on arable agricultural lands. The
amendments to the Zoning Bylaw and Official Plan Policies were designed to ensure minimal
negative impacts on farming operations, as well as limit unfair competition with retail/commercial
operations that are required to operate within designated zoned areas and pay commercial tax
rates.
The regulations are intended to enable farmers the flexibility of augmenting their incomes with
value-added operations, while at the same time ensuring that agricultural designated land is not
transformed into commercial/industrial and retail uses. Some farmers, based on the
consultations of the current study, find the regulations to be somewhat restrictive, although the
Agriculture Review Committee considered them on balance to be fair, all things considered.
From time to time it may be necessary to revisit these regulations to update them in view of
changing circumstances.
Canadas Technology Triangle (CTT) Strategic Business Plan
The following sectors have been identified as Priority Sectors in the CTT Strategic Plan and
align closely with the types of businesses that Woolwich would like to and has the potential to
attract:
Advanced Manufacturing (Core: Auto, Industrial Design, Aerospace, Food Processing;
Emerging: Renewable Energy, Wind Power, Solar Power, Robotics)
Information and Communication Technology (Core: Hardware, Software;
Emerging: Convergence of Technologies, Digital Media, Quantum Information,

Nanotechnology)
Business and Financial Services (Core: Business Process Outsourcing, Actuarial Sciences,
Insurance, Accounting, Regional HQs; Emerging: Environmental Professional Services,
Knowledge Creation Consulting)
Health and Life Sciences (Core: Pharmaceutical, Medical Devices; Emerging: Biotech).
Waterloo Region Go To Market Strategy for Employment Lands

The purpose of this study, commissioned in 2010 by Canadas Technology Triangle (CTT) was
to develop a strategy to bring employment lands to market in Waterloo Region, in order to
ensure the Regions economic competitiveness and ability to compete for new investment. This
study was still in progress when the Woolwich Economic Development Plan was drafted. The
Go To Market Strategy is being undertaken in three phases as follows:
-8-
Phase I focused on employment patterns and projections, including identification of land

needs by economic sector
Phase II examined the availability and timing of the land supply required to accommodate
demand, by preparing a gap analysis identifying shortfalls between market requirements
and the sites needed to accommodate new development
In Phase III strategies are being prepared to bring incremental employment lands on-stream
as needed during the short, medium and long term.
The study recognized several categories of industrial lands including tech parks, prestige
industrial, standard industrial, and rural industrial. It was emphasized that the high-tech sector
is essential to the Regions continued economic success, so industrial land requirements for this
sector need to be carefully considered and planned for. It was noted that St. Jacobs and The
Stockyards may provide some short term potential and there may be some lands in South
Woolwich that could offer longer term potential for expanding the Regions high-tech sector.
Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation (WRTMC) Marketing Strategies 20102015
The Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation provides tourism marketing services for
the entire region including Woolwich. Their marketing focus is on two principal segments:
adventurers, who are high-end travelers with a strong interest in culture; and fun loving
families, who tend to be more budget conscious and looking for family activities. Woolwichs
current offerings are a better fit with the adventurers segment.
Elmira Core and Commercial Area Review
This study identified the need to strengthen relationships and collective effort among the BIA,
individual businesses, and the Township. This is a role that the Economic Development and
Tourism Officer has been able to undertake recently. This study emphasized the importance of
coordinating with the BIA to focus on improving the existing core for development and redevelopment, as well as encouraging new businesses and retaining existing businesses. It was
also recommended that a brownfield redevelopment assistance plan be initiated and that a
Community Improvement Plan be implemented for brownfields. The concept of design
guidelines is also considered and that the Official Plan should be used to encourage buildings of
at least two storeys, to enable office or residential on the second floor or above.
Regional Municipality of Waterloo Official Plan
In June of 2009, the Regional Council adopted a new Regional Official Plan (ROP). It is the
Regional Municipality of Waterloos guiding document for directing growth and change for the
next 20 years (until 2029). The ROP reflects many of the same principles and directions
contained in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, thereby implementing the
mandated components from the Growth Plan. The ROP, however, has not been approved by
the Province as of yet and is being appealed at the OMB. The 2029 population forecast for
Waterloo Region as noted in the ROP is 712,000, with the Woolwich population forecast being
32,500. The number of jobs forecasted for Waterloo Region in 2029 is 359,000 with 18,800
-9-
forecasted for Woolwich. Assuming that the allocations in the ROP are approved, this would
mean that:
Woolwichs share of regional population would increase from around 4.0% to 4.6%
Woolwich would retain its position as the largest township in terms of population and jobs in
Waterloo Region
Woolwichs share of regional employment would increase from around 5.0% to 5.2%.
The Region of Waterloo Official Plan (ROP) promotes achieving more balanced growth by
directing a greater share of new development to the existing Built-up Area (e.g.- Elmira, St.
Jacobs) to make better use of land, existing physical infrastructure, community infrastructure
and human services. This means that Woolwich is expected to build more compact, vibrant and
complete communities with walkable neighbourhoods and a balanced mix of employment,
housing, shopping and services.
A key objective of the ROP is to more closely integrate land use and transportation planning
decisions that result in transit oriented development around roads, railways, sidewalks, cycling
paths and transit routes to help create more compact and pedestrian-friendly urban
environments rather than dispersed urban forms.
Regional Municipality of Waterloo Regional Transportation Master Plan
The primary concern for Woolwich in this Plan is the development of additional transit services
to Woolwich, particularly the possibility of light rail transit that could connect with St. Jacobs and
possibly Elmira, given the existing railway line available. It is important that the Township keep
abreast of all transportation planning issues in the region, including interconnection with the
regional roads network, given the traffic issues that are already arising in Waterloo.
Places to Grow Act and Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (the Growth Plan)
Woolwichs economic development opportunities are influenced by the opportunities and
constraints offered by the Places to Grow Act, 2005. This Act provides the legislative
framework for the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe. The framework is designed
to build stronger, prosperous communities by improving how and where growth and
development occurs. Places to Grow directs municipalities to promote economic development
and competitiveness by providing for an appropriate mix of employment uses including
industrial, commercial and institutional uses to meet long term needs; to plan for, protect and
preserve employment areas for current and future uses; to protect prime agricultural areas; and
to ensure the necessary infrastructure is provided to support current and forecasted
employment needs. The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe includes Waterloo
Region, which is forecasted to reach a population of 729,000 and a jobs level of 366,000 by
2031. No allocations of population or employment are provided by municipality within the
Waterloo Region in the Growth Plan.
Under Ontario Regulation 59/05 the Province also established a Greenbelt Area. The Act and
associated Plan and policies give the Province of Ontario the opportunity to establish any area
of land in the Province as a growth plan area. In turn, the Minister of Public Infrastructure must
- 10 -
prepare a growth plan for all or part of that area. Within Waterloo Region, Uptown Waterloo and
Downtown Kitchener are designated as urban growth centres, which are in proximity to
Woolwich.
Various other documents such as the Townships Community Profile, Official Plan and the
Vacant Land Inventory were also reviewed by the consulting team for relevant information and
context, along with various other documents listed in Appendix B.
Study Process
The overall study process deployed by the consulting team for this project is illustrated in the
flow chart of Figure 1.3. This shows the research, analysis and consultations that were
undertaken to provide the basis for the strategies and recommendations that are outlined in
Chapter 6 of this report.
Figure 1.3: Study Process
UP-FRONT
RESEARCH/
CONSULTATION
ANALYZING
ECONOMIC
BASE
SECTORAL AND
COMMUNITY
CONSULTATIONS
Opportunities
With Best
Potential
Information/
Research
Review of
Existing
Studies/
Documents/
Data
Comprehensive
Economic Base
Analysis
STRATEGIES/
RECOMMENDATIONS
Sectoral
Consultation
Community
Consultation
Strategies &
Recommendations
Initial
Interviews/
Sectoral
Analysis
Action Plans
Detailed Data/
Analysis
The economic base analysis focuses on the analysis of the most recent economic data
available for the Township, which is primarily from the 2006 Census, and is reported on in
Chapter 2 of this report. The sectoral and community consultations have included several
sectoral focus group discussions with diverse cross-sections of the business community and
Mennonite community, as well as two major public meetings (one in Elmira and one in Breslau)
and a Youth session. Results of the sectoral and community consultation are reported on in
Chapter 3 of this report. In Chapters 4 and 5 we report on additional analysis that provides the
rationale for the strategies and recommendations reported on in Chapter 6. In Chapter 7 of this
report we provide implementation guidelines and recommendations for monitoring and
evaluating the progress of implementation of the Woolwich Economic Development Plan.
- 11 -
Throughout the study process, the consulting team consisting of Hardy Stevenson and
Associates Ltd., Economic Growth Solutions Inc. and EDP Consulting reported directly to the
Townships staff Project Team, which was responsible for overseeing the process. In addition,
the Township appointed a Stakeholder Committee that provided input to the consultants at
strategic points in the process. A list of members of the Project Team and Stakeholder
Committee is included in Appendix B of this report.
Glossary of Terms
The following terms are used in various places in this document:
Agri-tourism. This refers to tourism activities, products and packages that include visits to
farms and agricultural facilities, including farm stay programs and farm-based bed and
breakfast operations.
BIA. This is the acronym for Business Improvement Area, which is a designated area within
a municipality dedicated to beautification, marketing and the enhancement and promotion of
downtown shopping and services. A BIA is funded by a levy on the businesses that are
within the designated area.
Brownfields. These are abandoned or under-utilized industrial and commercial sites and
facilities. Sometimes they may have some type of perceived or actual environmental
contamination from a previous use that may require remediation prior to re-use of the site or
facilities.
Cluster. This is a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses/industries in a

particular field. An economic cluster is somewhat similar to an economic sector or industry,
except that it may include supporting services and inputs that are not, strictly speaking, part
of that sector. For example, a metal products manufacturing operation may require a whole
range of business services that are outsourced to companies that are not really part of the
metal products manufacturing sector. Also there may be specific inputs, such as specialized
paints, that are also not part of the metal products sector, but are still considered to be an
important part of the metal products manufacturing cluster.
Community development. This is a holistic term that refers to all aspects of developing a
community including economic, social and cultural.
Complete community. Complete communities meet peoples needs for daily living
throughout an entire lifetime by providing convenient access to an appropriate mix of jobs,
local services, a full range of housing, and community infrastructure, including affordable
housing, schools, recreation and open space for their residents. Convenient access to
public transportation and options for safe, non-motorized travel are also provided.
Creative culture. This refers to the activities of individuals and enterprises that are focused
on new ideas and concepts that can result in changes in the way businesses and
organizations operate, as well as product and service innovations.
Economic development. Economic development is a combination of programs, policies

and activities that seek to improve the economic well-being and quality of life for our
- 12 -
community. Ideally, economic development will create and retain jobs that facilitate
responsible growth and provide a stable tax base.
Economic drivers. This refers to the specific businesses, industries, and/or sectors of the
economy that are responsible for the largest components of economic activity in terms of
jobs and dollars.
Evaluation criteria. These are screening criteria that represent important guidelines or
principles that should be adhered to.
Focus group. This refers to an interactive discussion session, which is centred on a

specific subject area and the participants in the session have been invited specifically
because of their association with that subject area.
Intensification. This refers to allowing higher density development in retail, commercial,

industrial and residential areas. It enables reduced development and servicing costs and
minimizes the geographic footprint of these developments.
Location quotients. These are economic indicators used to compare a local economy to a
reference economy, in order to identify sector concentrations or specializations within the
local economy. The comparison uses a simple ratio of sector employment to total
employment to compare the study area to the reference area (e.g. Woolwich to Ontario).
North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). This is an industry

classification system developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the
United States. It is designed to provide common definitions of the industrial structure and a
common statistical framework to facilitate analysis.
Sectoral analysis. Sectors are groups of industries and a sectoral analysis refers to the
analysis of economic data for individual industries and sectors such as employment and
labour force data.
SWOT analysis. SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. A
SWOT Analysis is a common way of providing an overall evaluation of the current situation
for a community, business, or economy. This form of analysis is used in this report and is
reported on in Chapter 4.
Stakeholder Committee. This Committee was formed to provide input during the
development of the Woolwich Economic Development Plan. The individual members of the
Committee are stakeholders in that they represent a business, organization or industry
involved in the Woolwich economy.
Vision. In the context of the Economic Development Plan, the vision is the projection of
what the future economy of Woolwich will look like. The vision can be based on the
aspirations of residents and businesses for the future of Woolwich what they would like to
see happen.
- 13 -
2 Economic Base Analysis

This chapter consists of a discussion of the economic base in Woolwich Township within the
Regional context; population and labour force characteristics; employment and sector trends;
and construction activity trends.
Human resources are an important building block for economic development. Key factors
related to human resources include size and growth potential of the local and broader regional
labour pool, skills and educational levels, and the fit between labour skills and existing and
target sectors. In this chapter, we provide an overview of the characteristics of the local labour
force, and comment on some of the strengths and weaknesses that should be considered in the
economic development strategy. A more detailed analysis of the labour market should be
considered as part of a regional labour market analysis at a later stage to assess the labour skill
levels needed for existing and target sector employers. In doing so, it is important to recognize
that Woolwich is part of a broader region, with high levels of labour inflows and outflows It is
not an isolated local economy.
In this chapter, we also provide a discussion of the economic base in terms of the sector
concentrations and key businesses within Woolwich Township. It is important to have an
understanding of the sectors where Woolwich has shown growth and has concentration levels
above the provincial and regional average as this demonstrates a competitive advantage for
such sectors in the community. It is also important to identify where the portion of employment
by sector is considerably lower than the provincial or regional average as this points to where
there are weaknesses in the economy for attracting businesses in such sectors, and these
weaknesses needs to be addressed to facilitate further economic growth.
Woolwich Township in the Broader Regional Labour/Jobs Context

Jobs and Labour Flows
Woolwich Township is part of the Kitchener-Waterloo regional labour market and has high levels
of labour inflows and outflows. This demonstrates that Woolwich is part of a regional labour
market, not an isolated community with little economic flows. While around half of the labour
living in Woolwich commute to other communities to work, about half the jobs in Woolwich are
held by people living outside the community. From an economic development perspective, this
could mean several things. Firstly, municipal boundaries are artificial boundaries with respect to
economic flows and the southern parts of Woolwich Township employment areas are
considered an extension of Waterloo and Kitchener by the labour force given their almost
contiguous proximity to those areas. It could also point to some mismatch between the skill
levels of the local labour force and jobs available in Woolwich (given the high degree of outflow
of local labour and inflow of labour from communities technically outside of the boundaries of
Woolwich).
Of the estimated 12,245 jobs at fixed places of employment in Woolwich Township in 2006,
around 5,030 or 41% of jobs were held by persons living in the Township, with 1,575 working at
home. As mentioned, Woolwich is a significant exporter of labour to other areas. Over half of
the labour living in Woolwich Township in 2006 worked in other communities, mainly in Waterloo
or Kitchener, as shown in Figure 2.1.
- 14 -
Figure 2.1: Place of Work of Labour Force Residing in Woolwich Twp. (2006)
Place of Work
Jobs
Woolwich Twp*
Waterloo
Kitchener
Guelph
Cambridge
Wellesley Twp
Centre Wellington Twp
Mapleton Twp
Mississauga
Other, including those with no fixed place of
work
Total
% of
Total
5,030
1,510
1,475
480
355
100
90
85
70
47.1%
14.1%
13.8%
4.5%
3.3%
0.9%
0.8%
0.8%
0.7%
1,490
10,685
13.9%
100.0%
* includes 1,575 persons working at home

Source: Statistics Canada; EDP Consulting
More than half of the jobs in Woolwich Township in 2006 were held by people living in other
communities. Kitchener and Waterloo were the key communities of labour inflow to Woolwich
Township as noted in Figure 2.2.
Figure 2.2: Place of Residence of Labour Force Working in Woolwich Twp. (2006)
Place of Residence
Woolwich Twp*
Kitchener
Waterloo
Mapleton Twp
Cambridge
Wellesley Twp
Guelph
North Perth
Centre Wellington Twp
Perth East Twp
Wilmot Twp
Minto
Hamilton
Stratford
Other
Total
Jobs
% of
Total
5,030
2,045
1,820
510
465
430
330
250
210
195
125
85
65
55
630
12,245
41.1%
16.7%
14.9%
4.2%
3.8%
3.5%
2.7%
2.0%
1.7%
1.6%
1.0%
0.7%
0.5%
0.4%
5.1%
100.0%

* includes 1,575 persons working at home
- 15 -
Jobs to Labour Force Ratio

The jobs to labour force ratio is a measure of complete communities and is used to measure
and track the opportunity for workers to hold a job in their community. The ratio is calculated by
dividing the number of jobs in a community by the labour force residing in that community.
Generally, communities strive to have a balanced jobs to labour force ratio of close to 1 to 1.
Large urban centres have much higher jobs to labour force ratios as they are economic centres
attracting large inflows of labour, while rural communities generally have much lower ratios.
The employed labour force residing in Woolwich Township in 2006 was 10,685 persons, which
is less than the estimated number of jobs at fixed places of work in the Township that year
(12,245). The ratio of jobs at fixed places of employment in Woolwich Township to the labour
force was 1.15 to 1, which means that the community had more than one job for each person in
the labour force. This is an indication of the importance of the community as an economic
centre it doesnt operate as an isolated community but is very much a part of the broader
region. This is particularly the case for employment areas in the southern portion of the
Township. Woolwich Township is more of an economic centre than some of its neighbours such
as Wilmot Township. For example, Wilmot Township had an employed labour force of 9,355 in
2006, however the number of jobs at fixed places of employment in the community that year
was only 5,670 which means that it had only enough jobs for about 60% of its labour force.
Woolwich Township is much better positioned in terms of supply of jobs for labour force relative
to this neighbouring community.
Share of Regional Employment
The number of jobs in Woolwich accounts for a relatively small portion of jobs in Waterloo
Region 5.1% in 2006. However, this is slightly higher than Woolwichs portion of regional
population and labour force (4.1%). Combined with the labour flow data, and jobs to labour
force ratio, it is evident that Woolwich has an appropriate number of jobs for its population size.
In comparison, Wilmot Township accounts for about 3.5% of the regional population but only
2.4% of its jobs.
The one sector in Woolwich Township which accounted for a high portion of Waterloo Region
jobs in 2006 was the agricultural sector where Woolwich Township accounted for around 35% of
agricultural jobs in the Region, with an employment level of 1,125. This means that Woolwich
Township is very significant to the broader region for its agricultural sector, as will be discussed
later in this report. It will be very important that the agricultural sector and broader cluster are
supported from an economic development perspective and that prime agricultural land is
protected from encroachment of other uses.
As shown in Figure 2.3, key sectors where Woolwich Township had a slightly higher portion of
regional jobs in 2006 included:
Wholesale trade 970 jobs, accounting for 8.1% of regional jobs in that sector;
Construction 790 jobs, accounting for 9.2% of regional jobs in that sector;
Retail trade 1,925 jobs, accounting for 6.9% of regional jobs in that sector.
- 16 -
Figure 2.3: Woolwich Twp. Portion of Waterloo Region Jobs

Woolwich
Township
Jobs
NAICS Industry Group

11
21
22
23
31-33
41
44-45
48-49
51
52
53
54
55
56
61
62
71
72
81
91
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Mining and oil and gas extraction
Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Transportation and warehousing
Information and cultural industries
Finance and insurance
Real estate and rental and leasing
Professional, scientific and technical services
Management of companies and enterprises
Admin. and support, waste management/ remediation services
Educational services
Health care and social assistance
Arts, entertainment and recreation
Accommodation and food services
Other services (except public administration)
Public administration
All Industries
% of Jobs in
Waterloo
Region
1,125
10
10
790
2,830
970
1,925
465
70
385
115
290
20
385
500
865
165
655
535
135
34.5%
5.6%
0.9%
9.2%
5.1%
8.1%
6.9%
5.4%
1.4%
2.6%
2.9%
1.9%
6.1%
4.8%
2.5%
4.3%
5.9%
4.7%
5.2%
2.1%
12,245
5.1%
Population and Demographic Characteristics

Population Levels
The population level in Woolwich Township in 2006 was 19,658, which is a growth of 8% from
2001. This population growth level was higher than the provincial population growth level
(6.6%), although slightly lower than the Waterloo Region population growth level (9.0%).
Population growth in Woolwich, however, was lower than in Wilmot Township, which grew by
15% between 2001 and 2006. Woolwich Townships share of the regional population was
4.1% in 2006, declining very slightly from 1996 and 2001 (see Figure 2.4).
- 17 -
Figure 2.4: Population Levels in Woolwich, 1996-2006

Woolwich Township
Population
1996
2001
2006
17,325
18,201
19,658
5.1%
8.0%
4.3%
4.2%
4.1%
% Growth
% of Waterloo Region
Population is distributed across 17 settlement areas in Woolwich Township with the vast
majority (around 86%) in the following communities:
Elmira, with an estimated population of 10,221 people (over half of the Township
population);
St. Jacobs, with an estimated population of 1,962 (about 10% of the Township population);
Breslau, with an estimated population of 1,915 ( about 10% of the Township population);
Conestogo, with an estimated population of 1,345 (around 7% of the Township population);
Heidelberg, with an estimated population of 1,438 (slightly more than 7% of the Township
population).
Source: Township of Woolwich, Community Profile and Development Information, 2010
Projected Population Levels

Based on the Regional Official Plan, the population in Woolwich Township is forecasted to
reach 32,500 in 2029. Based on information from the Township, the population is projected to
increase to 24,600 in 2016, which is an increase of about 25% over its 2006 population level.
Most of the growth is forecasted to occur in Elmira, with a forecasted 2016 population level of
12,200 or roughly 50% of the Townships population. St. Jacobs and Breslau are forecasted to
reach population levels of 2,090 and 2,900 respectively in 2016 (Source: Township of Woolwich,
Community Profile and Development Information, 2010).
Age Distribution
Woolwichs portion of population in what is generally considered to be the prime working age
group (25 to 44 years) is lower than the provincial and regional levels, which suggests that there
has been some outflow by this cohort. Based on Census data, there were 4,900 persons in the
prime working age group in Woolwich in 2006, which represents about 25% of the population.
In comparison, this age group represented about 30% and 29% of the population in Waterloo
Region and Ontario respectively see Figure 2.5. Additionally, Woolwich Township has a
slightly larger percentage of senior citizens: around 14.5% compared to 11.6% and 13.6% for
Waterloo Region and Ontario respectively. Regardless of these variations from the regional and
provincial averages, Woolwich has a relatively high employment activity rate (percentage of the
- 18 -
population aged 15 and over who are working) at 73.2% in 2006 (compared to 71.5% and
67.1% for Waterloo Region and Ontario respectively).
A shortage of workers is expected in the coming years in various communities due to the
retirement of the baby boom generation (those born between 1946 and 1964), and given that
the labour force of following generations is insufficient to replace that labour. Most communities
will be impacted by this same issue, and talent attraction strategies (including immigrant labour)
need to be developed. As part of the talent attraction strategy, consideration needs to be given
to attracting and retaining labour in the prime working age group (ages 25-44), as Woolwich
Township labour force is under-represented by this segment compared to Waterloo Region and
Ontario overall accounting for about 25% of the labour, compared to about 30% and 28%
respectively. The Economic Development Department should liaise with the local/regional
Labour Boards in addressing this issue.
Figure 2.5: Population by Age Distribution, Woolwich Twp. vs. Region and Province, 2006
Age Distribution
Woolwich
Twp. Popn
Woolwich
Twp. %
Waterloo
Region %
Ontario %
0 to 4 years
1,300
6.6%
6.1%
5.5%
5 to 9 years
1,340
6.8%
6.3%
5.9%
10 to 14 years
1,370
7.0%
6.9%
6.7%
15 to 19 years
1,375
7.0%
7.1%
6.9%
20 to 24 years
1,310
6.7%
7.5%
6.6%
25 to 29 years
1,045
5.3%
6.9%
6.1%
30 to 34 years
1,110
5.6%
7.1%
6.5%
35 to 39 years
1,255
6.4%
7.5%
7.3%
40 to 44 years
1,490
7.6%
8.4%
8.5%
45 to 49 years
1,475
7.5%
7.8%
8.2%
50 to 54 years
1,395
7.1%
6.8%
7.1%
55 to 59 years
1,275
6.5%
5.8%
6.4%
60 to 64 years
1,080
5.5%
4.3%
4.8%
65+ years
Total
Prime working age
(25-44 yrs)
2,850
14.5%
11.6%
13.6%
19,670
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
4,900
24.9%
29.8%
28.4%
Source: Statistics Canada, EDP Consulting
Education Levels
Educational attainment for the prime working age group in Woolwich in 2006 was significantly
lower than the regional and provincial levels. About 20% of this cohort in Woolwich Township
did not have an educational certificate, diploma or degree, compared to 11.5% at the regional
level and 10% at the provincial level - see Figure 2.6.
- 19 -
The education levels of the prime working age group (25-44 years) is a key consideration in
business locational decisions. However, it is noted that companies usually consider the
educational levels of the regional labour market rather than individual communities, and
Waterloo Region as a whole is generally more competitive in this regard.
To increase its competitiveness in attracting and retaining investment, consideration needs to
be given to improving the educational level of the labour force, particularly the prime working
age group cohort. Efforts are needed to encourage youth in Woolwich Township to complete
high school and enrol in post-secondary training, as the level of young workers without any
diploma, certificate or degree in Woolwich Township is higher than the provincial average. The
Township will need to liaise with the local labour board on strategies to improve educational
levels and ensure that there is a match between industry skill needs and skill levels available in
Woolwich.
Figure 2.6: Highest Level of Educational Attainment
Woolwich
Twp
Age 15+
Woolwich
Twp
Age 25-44
Waterloo
Region
Age 25-44
Ontario
Age 25-44
No certificate, diploma or degree
33.6%
20.1%
11.5%
9.7%
Certificate, diploma or degree
66.4%
79.8%
88.5%
90.3%
23.7%
21.2%
26.1%
24.1%
Highest Level of Educational Attainment
High school certificate or equivalent

Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma
8.7%
8.1%
7.6%
7.5%
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma
16.1%
23.0%
25.0%
24.1%
University certificate, diploma or degree
17.8%
27.4%
29.7%
34.7%
2.2%
2.3%
3.0%
4.6%
University certificate or degree
15.5%
25.0%
26.7%
30.1%
Bachelor's degree
10.5%
18.1%
17.2%
19.3%
University certificate or diploma above bachelor level
1.5%
2.5%
2.8%
3.5%
Degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine , optometry
0.5%
1.0%
0.6%
0.8%
Master's degree
2.4%
3.1%
5.0%
5.7%
Earned doctorate
0.6%
0.5%
1.0%
0.8%
University certificate or diploma below bachelor level
Special Communities: Mennonite Population

The Mennonite population is an integral part of the Woolwich community as well as the broader
region, and is particularly active in the agricultural sector.
Data on the size of the Mennonite population is available from the Census, under the Religion
variable, which refers to the number and distribution of people belonging to various religious
denominations and beliefs. Although the Census is conducted every 5 years, data on religion is
only collected every 10 years, with the most recent coverage as part of the 2001 Census. The
Mennonite population was reported as at 4,270 in Woolwich Township in 2001, which is higher
than any other religious grouping. The Mennonite population accounted for around 24% of the
- 20 -
total Woolwich Township population in that year. The Old Order Mennonite segment is a
smaller but important component of the population.
Labour Force and Employment by Sector

Labour force employment by sector is summarized in Figure 2.7. It should be noted that this
data pertains to the labour force, a portion of which works in other communities. Data on jobs
by sector within Woolwich is provided on the next page of this report (see Figure 2.8).
The largest portion of the Woolwich labour force in 2006 was employed in the manufacturing
sector (17%). A relatively large portion (over 10%) of the Woolwich Township labour force was
employed within agriculture and resource-based industries, which is higher than the regional
and Ontario portions. While a relatively large portion (14%) was employed in business services,
this was lower than the regional and provincial levels. However, it is believed that this data
does not accurately reflect the existing employment of the labour force as many workers,
particularly in the agriculture sector, also work in other lines of work such as small light industrial
manufacturing or as occasional support workers in other sectors.
It is also likely that the size of the labour force is understated because it does not include the
seasonal labourers that live and work in Woolwich and within the broader region on farms and
at off-farm locations. These labourers spend extensive periods of time living and working with
the Mennonite community in Woolwich Township, not just as seasonal workers.
Figure 2.7: Labour Force Employment by Sector
Woolwich
Number
Woolwich
%
Construction
1,120
925
10.2%
8.4%
1.9%
6.2%
2.9%
5.9%
Manufacturing
1,885
17.1%
22.4%
13.9%
610
5.5%
5.2%
4.7%
1,195
10.9%
10.9%
11.1%
Finance and real estate
660
6.0%
7.1%
6.8%
Health care and social services
970
8.8%
8.1%
9.4%
625
5.7%
7.6%
6.7%
1,505
13.7%
16.5%
19.7%
Industry
Agriculture and other resource-based
industries
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Business services
Other services
Total
Waterloo
Region%
Ontario%
1,515
13.8%
14.0%
18.7%
11,010
100.0%
100.0%
100.0%
Figure 2.8 shows the percentage of jobs by sector in Woolwich compared to the sectors in
which the Woolwich Township labour force was employed in 2006. As noted previously, some
of the labour force works in other communities. The key differences, as noted in Figure 2.8, are
that a lower portion of the labour force was employed in manufacturing and retail trade sectors,
while these sectors had a larger portion of jobs in Woolwich Township. This suggests that there
- 21 -
may be a lack of skilled local labour for manufacturing jobs as there appears to be significant
inflow of workers to fill these jobs.
Figure 2.8: Labour Force Employment Compared to Jobs in Woolwich Twp.
Woolwich
Twp. Jobs
Woolwich Twp.
Labour Force
Employment
Agriculture and other resource-based

industries
9.2%
10.2%
Construction
6.5%
8.4%
23.1%
17.1%
7.9%
5.5%
15.7%
10.9%
Finance and real estate
4.1%
6.0%
Health care and social services
7.1%
8.8%
4.1%
5.7%
13.0%
9.2%
13.7%
13.8%
Industry
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Business services
Other services
Self-Employed
Nearly 18% (representing 1,950 jobs) of the Woolwich Township labour force was selfemployed in 2006 which is significantly higher than the regional or provincial levels (around 9%
and 11% respectively). This suggests a relatively high level of entrepreneurship in Woolwich
Township. The highest self-employment portions were in agriculture, trades, and management
occupations.
The level and growth potential from entrepreneurship is very important for economic
development. Entrepreneurs have been the engines of the economic growth in every
generation Home Hardware is a local example. Entrepreneurship is the process of creating a
business idea and turning it into a real business creating new goods and services based on
new technologies, innovative ideas and unsatisfied market demand. As part of the economic
development initiatives in Woolwich, the Township should consider entrepreneurship
development programs to provide potential entrepreneurs with the capital, training, and
technical assistance they need to start-up and grow their business.
Jobs at Fixed Places of Work
The total number of persons working in Woolwich Township is not reported by Statistics
Canada. Rather, data is reported on the number of jobs at fixed places of employment. This
excludes employment associated with non-fixed places of work (such as truck drivers,
landscapers, some construction workers, and others that may work at various places in the
municipality or broader region). It should be noted, however, that this data is based on the 2006
census using a 20% sample, rather than the total population. It is not based on a survey of
businesses. Therefore, while it is the best information available, and gives an indication of the
- 22 -
distribution of sector activity at the overall sector level (manufacturing, agriculture, etc.), it is less
reliable at the sub-sector level, particularly for small communities. It is, therefore, essential that
this data be supplemented with input from sector organizations and through a review of
available local data on the economic base (detailed data on businesses and employment
changes in Woolwich was not available through the Region or Municipality, however
development and monitoring of such information will be needed in the future to develop a fuller
understanding of Woolwichs economy).
The number of jobs at fixed places of work in Woolwich Township in 2006 was estimated at
12,245, which represents a growth of 18.2% from 2001. This is higher than the percentage jobs
growth in Waterloo Region and Ontario (11.7% and 6.1%) over that period. Employment in
most sectors increased between 2001 and 2006, with the highest jobs growth occurring in the
following sectors: manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, and heath care and social
assistance. It is interesting to note that jobs growth occurred in the agricultural, forestry, fishing
and hunting sector (around 6%). In comparison, this sector lost jobs at the Waterloo Region
level and Ontario overall with jobs declines of around 1% and 9% respectively.
Woolwich Township performed quite differently from Waterloo Region and Ontario for jobs
growth in the manufacturing sector, with an estimated jobs growth of around 32% in Woolwich
Township compared to declines of 1% and 9% in Waterloo Region and Ontario respectively.
The key jobs gains in this sector occurred in the meat products manufacturing and motor vehicle
parts manufacturing sub-sectors.
A summary of jobs growth in Woolwich Township by sector between 2001 and 2006 is provided
in Figure 2.9. Data by sub-sector and a comparison with Waterloo Region and Ontario is
provided in Appendix A.
- 23 -
Figure 2.9: Estimated Jobs Growth in Woolwich Twp.

2006
Jobs

11
21
22
23
31-33
41
44-45
48-49
51
52
53
54
55
56
61
62
71
72
81
91

Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Admin. & support, waste management/remediation services
All Industries
2001
Jobs
Change
(# of jobs)
%
Change
1,125
0
10
790
2,830
970
1,925
465
65
380
115
290
20
385
500
865
170
655
540
135
1,060
0
15
725
2,150
595
1,640
415
75
250
60
305
0
260
485
580
230
710
725
70
65
0
-5
65
680
375
285
50
-10
130
55
-15
20
125
15
285
-60
-55
-185
65
6.1%
-33.3%
9.0%
31.6%
63.0%
17.4%
12.0%
-13.3%
52.0%
91.7%
-4.9%
48.1%
3.1%
49.1%
-26.1%
-7.7%
-25.5%
92.9%
12,245
10,360
1,885
18.2%
Data on changes in the number of jobs between 2006 and 2009 in Woolwich Township and
Waterloo Region is not readily available through the Region or Municipality. It will be important
that this type of information is collected and monitored in the future to ensure a better
understanding of the level and types of economic activity in Woolwich and how this changes
over time.
Sector Concentration and Growth Trends Review

To provide an indication of the concentrations of employment by sector in Woolwich, based on
available information, location quotient analysis was undertaken. Location-quotient analysis
compares the relative concentration of each sector in the study area to a reference area,
Ontario. The comparison uses a simple ratio of sector employment to total employment. The
provincial average for each sector has a location quotient of 1. A location quotient higher than 1
indicates a higher employment concentration in that sector than the provincial average, while
less than 1 indicates the concentration is lower than the provincial average. Greater locationquotient variances mean higher or lower employment concentrations than provincial averages.
In essence, location quotients allow us to identify which sectors are over- or under-represented
relative to the province as a whole. High location quotients can indicate where a region or
community has a particular strength or competitive advantage in attracting and retaining specific
- 24 -
types of industries. This information is useful along with sector growth forecast information in
determining target sectors for investment attraction. It is used to identify those sectors where
there has been a demonstrated strength and concentration above the provincial average.
The key sector where Woolwich Township has a demonstrated strength as measured by
location quotient is agriculture, with a location quotient 5 times the provincial average. Sectors
which had location quotients of between 1.5 and 2.0 times the provincial average in 2006 were
construction, manufacturing, and wholesale trade. Sectors that were significantly underrepresented in 2006 based on location quotients include information and cultural industries;
finance and insurance; real estate and rental and leasing; professional, scientific and technical
services; educational services; and public administration.
Location quotients by sector in Woolwich Township are shown in Figure 2.10. Detailed data at
the sub-sector level is provided in Appendix A.
Figure 2.10: Location Quotients by Sector
Location
Quotient

11
21
22
23
31-33
41
44-45
48-49
51
52
53
54
55
56
61
62
71
72
81
91

Utilities
Construction
Manufacturing
Wholesale trade
Retail trade
Admin. and support, waste management/remediation services
5.13
0.00
0.10
2.04
1.56
1.61
1.33
0.94
0.19
0.57
0.46
0.32
1.18
0.80
0.59
0.70
0.66
0.81
0.92
0.18
A discussion of employment trends and concentrations in selected key sectors is provided on

the following pages.
- 25 -
Manufacturing and Other Industrial

Manufacturing is an important economic sector because it is an export sector, and results in
new money being brought into the local economy. The estimated number of manufacturing jobs
at fixed places of employment in Woolwich Township in 2006 was approximately 2,800, which
was about 23% of the total jobs at fixed places of employment in the community this is
consistent with the portion of jobs this sector accounts for in Waterloo Region. In comparison,
manufacturing sector jobs in Ontario overall in 2006 accounted for roughly 15% of the jobs at
fixed places of work. Manufacturing jobs in Woolwich Township represented about 5% of the
manufacturing jobs in Waterloo Region.
The key manufacturing sub-sectors in Woolwich Township which had high jobs levels in 2006
were food manufacturing, chemical manufacturing, fabricated metal product manufacturing,
machinery manufacturing, and transportation equipment manufacturing as shown in Figure
2.11. However, the jobs were concentrated in a small number of segments in these subsectors, as discussed on the following pages.
Figure 2.11: Manufacturing Jobs by Sub-Sector in Woolwich, 2006
NAIC
Manufacturing Sub-sector
311
312
313
314
315
316
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
339
Food manufacturing
Beverage and tobacco product manufacturing
Textile mills
Textile product mills
Clothing manufacturing
Leather and allied product manufacturing
Wood product manufacturing
Paper manufacturing
Printing and related support activities
Petroleum and coal products manufacturing
Chemical manufacturing
Plastics and rubber products manufacturing
Non-metallic mineral product manufacturing
Primary metal manufacturing
Fabricated metal product manufacturing
Machinery manufacturing
Computer and electronic product manufacturing
Electrical equipment, appliance and component manufacturing
Transportation equipment manufacturing
Furniture and related product manufacturing
Miscellaneous manufacturing
Total Manufacturing Jobs*
Jobs
% of
Total
570
10
10
25
35
10
115
0
70
70
265
0
35
40
290
490
45
85
495
80
55
20.4%
0.4%
0.4%
0.9%
1.3%
0.4%
4.1%
0.0%
2.5%
2.5%
9.5%
0.0%
1.3%
1.4%
10.4%
17.5%
1.6%
3.0%
17.7%
2.9%
2.0%
2,795
100.0%
* This total varies slightly from the manufacturing total identified elsewhere in the report (2,830), as a result of
rounding by Statistics Canada.
- 26 -
Key manufacturing sub-sectors and segments in Woolwich Township are discussed below.
Food Manufacturing
The food manufacturing sub-sector was estimated to account for 570 jobs in Woolwich
Township in 2006, which was about 20% of all manufacturing jobs in the Township more than
any other manufacturing sub-sector, or 5% of the total number of jobs at fixed places of work in
Woolwich. The two most significant segments in the food manufacturing sub-sector were meat
products manufacturing and animal food manufacturing.
Meat Products Manufacturing
The meat products manufacturing segment was estimated to increase from 60 jobs in 2001 to
325 jobs in 2006, which was 10 times the growth level of this segment in Waterloo Region. The
location quotient of this segment in 2006 was 7.5. This is likely to continue to be a strong
segment in Woolwich Township, given its agricultural base and ongoing consumer demand.
The largest company in this segment is Conestoga Meat Packers (300 jobs). Other smaller
operations are Reist & Weber Butcher Limited, and Heidelberg Foods Ltd.
Animal Food Manufacturing
This segment was estimated to lose 100 jobs between 2001 and 2006, with the 2006 jobs level
being 180. However the location quotient was 25 times the provincial average. Elmira Pet
Products Limited is the largest operation in this segment, with 100 employees. Other operations
in this segment are Floradale Feed Mill Ltd., PFI Farms Inc., and W-S Feed & Supplies Ltd.
(105 employees in total).
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing
The transportation equipment manufacturing sub-sector was estimated to account for 495 jobs
in Woolwich Township in 2006, which is about 18% of the manufacturing jobs in the Township,
which is the second largest manufacturing sub-sector along with the machinery manufacturing
sub-sector. Increases were estimated in the number of jobs in several segments of
transportation equipment manufacturing in the Township between 2001-2006, including motor
vehicle body and trailer manufacturing (56% growth and location quotient of 5.1); and motor
vehicle parts manufacturing (with a growth of 356%, 285 jobs and location quotient of 1.9).
It is likely that there have been some jobs losses in this sector given the restructuring that has
occurred in the automotive manufacturing industry in the last few years. The largest company in
this sub-sector is Toyota Boshoku Canada Inc., which employs 360.
Machinery Manufacturing
The machinery manufacturing sub-sector accounted for about 490 jobs or around 18% of total
manufacturing jobs in Woolwich Township in 2006. The two key segments in this sub-sector
were general-purpose machinery manufacturing; and agricultural, construction and mining
machinery manufacturing.
- 27 -
General Purpose Manufacturing

This segment was estimated to account for 275 jobs in Woolwich Township 2006, representing
an increase of 140 jobs from 2001, nearly doubling its previous job level. In comparison,
regional jobs growth in this segment was around 8%, while provincial jobs in this segment
declined by around 9%. This segment had a location quotient which was 8 times the provincial
average. Eighteen small to medium sized companies in this sub-sector were identified in the
Woolwich Business Directory listing, ranging from 3 to 55 employees.
Fabricated Metal Manufacturing
The fabricated metal manufacturing sub-sector was estimated to account for 290 jobs in
Woolwich Township in 2006, which is slightly more than 10% of manufacturing jobs in the
Township. The largest segment in this sub-sector was architectural and structural metals
manufacturing, followed by the machine shops, turned product, and screw, nut and bolt
manufacturing segment.
The architectural and structural metals manufacturing segment was estimated to account for
155 jobs in 2006, representing a decline of 95 jobs from 2001 (in contrast, jobs in this segment
at the regional and provincial level increased by around 21% and 17%, respectively). The
location quotient for this segment in Woolwich Township was three times the provincial average.
The machine shops, turned product, and screw, nut and bolt manufacturing segment was
estimated to account for 100 jobs in Woolwich Township in 2006, with a location quotient of 2.3.
The largest company in the fabricated metal manufacturing sub-sector in Woolwich Township is
Trylon Manufacturing Co. Ltd., which employs 200. Other companies in this sub-sector are:
W.K. Dahms Manufacturing Ltd., Westower Communications Ltd., B & D Sheet Metal Inc.,
Maurice's Welding & Fabrication, and Pre-Fect Fabrication Inc. These are small businesses,
having 56 employees in total.
Chemical Product Manufacturing
The chemical manufacturing sub-sector was estimated to account for 265 jobs in Woolwich in
2006 which is slightly less than 10% of manufacturing jobs in the Township. The largest
segment was the other chemical manufacturing segment with 165 jobs. This segment
increased by over 100 jobs from 2001. Its growth level was higher than that of Waterloo
Region; Ontario lost 22% of jobs in this segment between 2001 and 2006. The location quotient
for this segment in Woolwich was 14.2 in 2006. The largest company in the chemical
manufacturing sub-sector in Woolwich Township is Chemtura Canada Co., which employs 400.
Other Manufacturing Sub-Sectors
While most other manufacturing sub-sectors appear to be relatively small, based on the 2006
data from Statistics Canada, it appears that there may be some segments that should be
explored further, such as those listed below:
The computer and electronic product manufacturing sub-sector was reported by Statistics
Canada as having 45 jobs in Woolwich Township in 2006. However, based on the
- 28 -
Township of Woolwich Business Directory listing, this sub-sector had 143 employees in
2010, with 130 employees at Mechdyne Corporation Canada in St. Jacobs, which is
reported as a computer and peripheral equipment manufacturing facility.
The petroleum and coal products manufacturing sub-sector was reported by Statistics
Canada as having 70 jobs in Woolwich Township in 2006. However based on the Township
of Woolwich Business Directory listing, this sub-sector had 200 jobs in 2010 at Safety-Kleen
Canada Inc. in Breslau.
A significant portion of the farms in Woolwich Township have on-site industrial operations
such as machining, wagon making, equipment repair, welding, wood working, etc. It is
unlikely that these operations are reflected in the Statistics Canada data on jobs in
Woolwich.
Agriculture
Agriculture is an important part of the economy in Woolwich Township, and was the third largest
employment sector in Woolwich in 2006. This sector was estimated to account for 1,125 jobs in
2006, which is a 6.1% growth over 2001. This sector had a location quotient 5 times the
provincial level. As mentioned previously, while farm employment decreased at the regional
and provincial levels between 2001 and 2006, the number of jobs in this sector increased in
Woolwich Township. Agriculture as a cluster is much broader than the agricultural sector and
includes sub-sectors such as food manufacturing, agri-tourism, and other related businesses.
The total number of farms in Woolwich Township in 2006 was 496, with the total area of farms
reported by Statistics Canada as 29,667 hectares (32% of farm hectares reported for Waterloo
Region). The average area of farms in Woolwich Township in 2006 is reported by Statistics
Canada as 60 hectares, which is slightly smaller than the Waterloo Region average (63
hectares), and Ontario average (88 hectares).
Discussions with representatives of OMAFRA and the Foodlink Waterloo Region revealed that
Statistics Canada data from the Agriculture Census does not accurately reflect the type of
farming that occurs in Woolwich Township. Farms are classified by Statistics Canada by the
largest farm activity (e.g.- dairy cattle and milk production). However, a significant portion of
farms in Woolwich are operated by Old Order Mennonites and those farms are very diverse,
including various types of horticultural activities as well as dairy cattle or beef and hog farming.
It is believed that the farms in Woolwich Township are likely the most diverse in Ontario, and
this diversity has enabled the farms to remain viable through demand fluctuations since they
are not dependent on revenue from a single agricultural commodity. Pork farming has
decreased in Woolwich, as well as elsewhere in Ontario, given that pork prices are lower than
the cost of production. Beef farming has also declined due to increased government regulation
and the resulting cost to farmers as a result of Mad Cow Disease.
A significant increase has occurred in horticultural production and the number of new
greenhouses in Woolwich Township and the region. The Elmira Produce Auction provides a
marketplace for Mennonite farmers and is the only produce auction of its kind in Ontario. It was
patterned by Mennonite farmers after successful produce auctions organized by Mennonite
farmers in the United States.
- 29 -
It appears that the majority of Woolwich Township farms have higher revenues than the regional
and Ontario average: around 64% had gross revenues of $100,000 or more in 2005, compared
to 56% and 36% for Waterloo Region and Western Ontario respectively. A distribution of farms
by gross revenues is provided in Figure 2.12.
Further data is available on the agriculture sector in Woolwich Township through Statistics
Canadas Agriculture Community Profiles.
Figure 2.12: Farms by Revenue (2005)
Value of Total Gross Farm Receipts
Number
of Farms
% of
Total
Under $10,000
57
11.5%
$10,000 to $24,999
40
8.1%
$25,000 to $49,999
39
7.9%
$50,000 to $99,999
42
8.5%
$100,000 to $249,999
165
33.3%
$250,000 to $499,999
107
21.6%
$500,000 to $999,999
28
5.6%
$1,000,000 to $1,999,999
11
2.2%
$2,000,000 and over

Total number of farms
1.4%
496
100.0%
Source: Statistics Canada - Census of Agriculture 2006, EDP Consulting
Retail Trade
The retail trade sector was estimated to be the second largest employment sector in Woolwich
Township in 2006 after the manufacturing sector. The number of jobs in this sector was 1,925,
which is a 17% increase over 2001. The location quotient for this sector was 1.3, which is
slightly above the provincial average. In addition to serving the local market, retail
establishments in the area, particularly in St. Jacobs, serve the tourist market. A discussion of
some of these retail attractions is provided under the Tourism discussion later in this chapter.
The most significant jobs growth in the retail sector has occurred within the building materials
and supplies dealers segment accounting for an estimated 790 jobs in 2006, with an estimated
increase of 160 jobs (25%) from 2001 and 2006. The location quotient for this segment was 9
times the provincial average. This segment could be considered as part of a building products
cluster.
Wholesale Trade
The wholesale trade sector was estimated to be the fourth largest employment sector in
Woolwich Township in 2006, with a jobs level of 970. This represents a 63% increase from
2001. The location quotient was 1.6. The most significant segment in this sector was
associated with a building products cluster: lumber, millwork hardware and other building
supplies wholesalers-distributors, accounting for 540 jobs (about 56% of the total jobs in the
- 30 -
wholesale trade sector). This segment increased by 335 jobs from 2001 and has a location
quotient of 14.2. This segment also grew at the regional and provincial levels.
The farm, lawn, garden and machinery and equipment wholesalers-distributors segment had a
high location quotient; however, it lost a significant number of jobs in 2006 (42%) and has also
lost jobs at the regional and provincial levels. Significant growth also occurred in the new
vehicle parts and accessories wholesalers/ distribution with jobs increasing from 15 to 85
between 2001 and 2006; and a location quotient of 2.6. This segment grew at the regional and
provincial levels. However, this has also likely been impacted by spinoffs and the restructuring
in the automotive manufacturing sector.
A key company in the wholesale trade sector is Waterloo-Oxford Co-operative, which is an
Ontario farm supply and marketing co-operative established in 1949 and has 70 employees.
Health Care and Social Assistance
Health care and social assistance was the fifth largest employment sector in Woolwich
Township in 2006, with an estimated jobs level of 865 in 2006, and a jobs increase of 49%
between 2001 and 2006. Its location quotient was below average in 2006 at 0.70. The two key
growth areas in this sector have been:
Offices of other health practitioners (not doctors or dentists) increasing from 20 to 135
between 2001 and 2006, and having a location quotient of 2.0.
Nursing and residential care facilities, increasing from 265 to 435 jobs between 2001 and
2006, and having a location quotient of 1.8.
Both of these segments have also shown growth at the regional and provincial levels. These
segments will likely continue to grow as the population increases and with growth in the middle
to senior segments of the population.
Tourism Related Sectors
Two sectors which are closely related to tourism are the arts & entertainment and recreation
sector, and the accommodation and food services sector. Segments within these sectors also
serve local residents. A portion of the retail sector also serves tourists. As noted, jobs in the
retail sector increased between 2001 and 2006, and the location quotient was slightly above the
provincial average.
The arts, entertainment and recreation sector was a relatively small sector in Woolwich
Township in 2006, accounting for 165 jobs, which is a decrease of about 26% from the 2001
level. The sectors location quotient was below the provincial average at 0.66. The
accommodation and food services sector was larger, accounting for 655 jobs, which is a
decrease of around 8% from 2001. This sectors location quotient was also below the provincial
average at 0.81. One hotel is located in the Township and there are several B & B facilities and
Inns in the Township (St. Jacobs, Conestogo, and Maryhill).
Tourism is an important industry to Woolwich and the broader region, although this does not
seem to have translated into large jobs numbers in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector
- 31 -
or the accommodation and food services sector in the Township to date. The tourist amenities
in Woolwich Township, particularly those in St. Jacobs, are part of the broader Waterloo Region
tourist industry.
Based on the Ministry of Tourism Regional Tourism Profiles, there were 3.8 million person-visits
to Waterloo Region in 2008, of which about 66% were same day visits. Key attractions in
Woolwich Township include the Village of St. Jacobs and other small villages, the rural
countryside, local food, the Mennonite culture, various festivals such as the Maple Syrup
Festival, Antique Market, farmers markets, and historical bridges.
Woolwich Township has several quaint villages that are of interest to visitors in the area. The
Village of St. Jacobs is the most active tourist area in the Township, and includes a number of
key tourist attractions:
The Mennonite Visitor Centre, which is an interpretation centre on the history of the
Mennonites;
The Mill development which includes a number of shops and exhibits such as the Electricity
Exhibit, Home Hardware Exhibit, and Model Train Exhibit;
Various historic buildings including Benjamin Restaurant & Inn, the Mill and Village Silos;
St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre, the Steiner House, and Blacksmith Shop; and
St. Jacobs Quilt Gallery, St. Jacobs Farmers Market, St. Jacobs Antique Market, St. Jacobs
Outlets and Market District.
Other Sectors
A few segments in other sectors were identified as significant based on the Statistics Canada
data, including:
The warehousing and storage segment of the transportation and warehousing sector which
increased to 85 jobs from 10 jobs in 2001; its location quotient was 2.7.
Significant increases occurred in the number of jobs in the agencies, brokerages and other
insurance related activities segment of the insurance sector, with an increase of 95 jobs and
a 2006 jobs level of 220. Jobs growth also occurred at the regional and provincial levels.
The location quotient was 2.4.
Professional, scientific and technical services was a small sector and under-represented,
with a location quotient of only 0.3 in 2006; however, there is one large engineering firm in
the Township, C3 Group Inc, which employs 100.
Home Hardware is a key business in the Township, established in 1964 and employs over
1000 in Woolwich and includes economic activity across a few sectors including head office,
distribution and warehousing, and retail. It has a large economic impact on the Township,
and as such, retention of this business will be important.
- 32 -
Construction Activity Trends

Construction activity trends data is useful as an indicator of the level of new investment in a
community, allowing an analysis of how this investment varies by construction sector and year,
as well as the relative importance of different construction sectors (residential, industrial,
government, commercial, institutional, agriculture). The value of construction to the end of
September in 2010 was higher than the year end totals from 2005 to 2009, and a significant
portion of construction activity was in the industrial sector in 2010, accounting for about 36% of
construction value that year (around $33 million) see Figure 2.13. This is considerably higher
than previous years where the value of industrial construction ranged from between $2 million
and $8 million. The relatively high value of construction activity in the industrial sector is due to
construction of a number of new facilities including an automotive garage, a train repair facility,
the Waterloo North Hydro Facility, the Airport Combined Services Facility, and a propane filling
station.
Residential construction had consistently accounted for the highest portion of the total value of
construction each year, ranging from 55% to 76%, confirming the attraction of living in
Woolwich.
Figure 2.13: Value of Construction by Sector in Woolwich Twp.
Building
Category
Residential
Commercial
2010*
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
$50,066,051
$65,803,739
$56,419,480
$54,095,504
$38,562,940
$49,957,690
$3,357,500
$2,787,350
$2,522,783
$1,832,750
$8,026,000
$2,484,000
$32,639,000
$2,539,500
$7,175,600
$2,786,000
$2,629,000
$7,984,000
Institutional
$351,800
$12,451,400
$2,135,000
$26,540,100
$4,218,000
$2,500,000
Agricultural
$4,711,880
$3,517,300
$5,769,200
$1,740,000
$3,961,500
$2,004,100
Industrial
Misc.
$407,150
$0
$1,480
$66,500
$34,000
$477,300
Total
$91,533,381
$87,099,289
$74,023,543
$87,060,854
$57,431,440
$65,407,090
* 2010 data for January to September

Source: Township of Woolwich
Economic Analysis Conclusions

A basic conclusion of the economic analysis is that the Township of Woolwich already has a
high performance economy with strength in manufacturing and industrial, agriculture, retailing
and wholesaling, tourism, and services. It also has the presence of some emerging sectors
such as renewable energy technology companies and high-tech knowledge-based businesses.
The strong agricultural sector is a particularly unique feature in such close proximity to a
growing metropolitan region. Woolwich can continue to build on its strength in each of the core
sectors and plan for future growth by ensuring adequate provision for employment lands of all
types within its Official Plan, and ensuring that enhanced strategies are developed to support
entrepreneurship, youth retention, business retention and expansion, and investment attraction.
- 33 -
While there is some dislocation between the labour force requirements of businesses located in
Woolwich and the educational and demographic attributes of the labour force residing in the
Township, the immediate proximity to the larger urban areas within Waterloo Region provides
relatively easy access to the required labour. Supporting transportation initiatives to improve
the connection to Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and other urban areas can only help this.
Agricultural land is the one type of employment lands that is unlikely to increase in supply in the
future. Therefore, this sector will need to continue to innovate to make the most productive use
of the existing lands, in order to generate future economic growth and continue to be a vibrant
and resilient part of the economy.
The most significant wealth-generating industry segments in Woolwich Township, with jobs
levels of over 100, and most with high location quotients, are listed in Figure 2.14. By wealthgenerating we are referring to industries/businesses that bring new money into Woolwich (this
includes tourism oriented businesses).
Figure 2.14: Significant Wealth-Generating Industry Segments in Woolwich Twp. in 2006
Industry Segments (NAICS)
Change in
No. of Jobs
from 2001
Jobs in
2006
% of
Total Jobs
Location
Quotient
1,070
8.7%
40
5.38
1110
Farms (1111 to 1129)
2300
Construction
770
6.3%
55
2.02
3111
Animal food manufacturing
180
1.5%
-100
25.12
3116
Meat product manufacturing
325
2.7%
265
7.49
3259
Other chemical product manufacturing
165
1.3%
100
14.16
3323
Architectural and structural metals manufacturing
155
1.3%
-95
3.28
3327
Machine shops, turned product, and screw, nut and

bolt manufacturing
100
0.8%
100
2.35
Agricultural, construction and mining machinery

manufacturing
150
1.2%
75
9.97
3339
Other general-purpose machinery manufacturing
275
2.2%
140
8.3
3363
Motor vehicle parts manufacturing
365
3.0%
285
1.9
4441
Building material and supplies dealers
790
6.5%
160
9.36
4163
Lumber, millwork, hardware and other building

supplies wholesaler-distributors
540
4.4%
335
14.18
4451
Grocery Stores*
180
1.5%
10
0.70
4481
Clothing Stores*
135
1.1%
-5
1.10
4481
Other amusement and recreation industries*
110
0.9%
-45
1.00
7221
Full-service restaurants*
370
3.0%
-60
1.20
7222
Limited-service eating places*
205
1.7%
60
0.70
3331
* A proportion of each of these sectors is wealth-generating (as a portion of their customer base resides outside Woolwich), with the
remainder being population-serving. The proportion of the customer base residing outside Woolwich varies significantly by sector
it is relatively small for grocery stores and limited service eating establishments, but much larger for clothing stores (because of
the large outlet mall in St. Jacobs) and full-service restaurants.
- 34 -
Source: Statistics Canada data
Most of the above noted segments appear to be part of broader clusters including Agricultural,
Building, Machinery/Parts Manufacturing, and Tourism clusters. The one exception is other
chemical product manufacturing, which does not fit within the clusters noted below.
Agricultural Cluster
Farms
Building Cluster
Building Materials and supplies dealers
Lumber, millwork, hardware and other building supplies wholesaler-distributors
Architectural and structural metals manufacturing
Construction
Machinery/Parts Related Cluster
Agricultural, construction, and mining machinery manufacturing
Machine shops, turned product, and screw, nut and bolt manufacturing
Other general purpose machinery manufacturing
Motor vehicle parts manufacturing
Tourism Oriented Cluster (includes portions of the following sectors)
Grocery stores (e.g.- travellers and other visitors typically buy groceries)
Clothing stores (e.g.- destination shopping at the Outlet Mall )
Full-service restaurants (incl. several restaurants that draw from outside Woolwich)
Limited service eating places (frequented by travellers and visitors in addition to

residents)
The full Tourism cluster includes portions of several other industry segments not noted
above (because their employment levels are under 100), such as traveller accommodation,
recreational vehicle parks and recreational camps, other retailing segments and other arts,
entertainment and recreation segments.
Consideration should be given to strategies to further strengthen these clusters, as they consist
of industries that bring new money into the Woolwich economy such as manufacturing, tourism
and agriculture.
- 35 -
3 Results of Consultations
A comprehensive consultation process was undertaken during the preparation of the Woolwich
Economic Development Plan to ensure that a wide range of stakeholders had opportunities to
provide input. These consultations included:
Five sectoral focus group discussion sessions
Two Public Information Meetings
Youth Focus Group
An interactive discussion of preliminary Economic Development Plan recommendations with

Woolwich Township Council
An online survey for businesses which was posted on the Townships website.
Key results of these consultations are summarized in the remainder of this chapter, with more
details included in the Appendix of this report. The results of these consultations are also
reflected in the SWOT Analysis which follows this chapter.
Five Sectoral Focus Group Sessions Held

A series of five sectoral focus group discussions were held in Woolwich during late November
and early December of 2010, as follows:
Manufacturing
Services (e.g. professional/technical, financial, retail/wholesale, transportation)
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Culinary, Health & Wellness
Institutional
Agriculture and Rural Businesses
These sectoral groupings were selected because they cover the majority of the economic base
and jobs in Woolwich and represent groupings of businesses/organizations with common
interests and needs.
Limitations of Focus Groups Methodology
The sessions were organized around broad sectoral groupings within the economy, with the
intention of encouraging interactive discussions among businesses that have somewhat similar
needs in terms of infrastructure, labour force, and inputs. While invitations were issued broadly
to the business community to attend these sessions, normal logistics and the busy nature of
most businesses precludes many from attending. Therefore, the overall thrust of the discussion
that took place and the issues covered were dependent upon who attended. In all of the groups
a cross-section of businesses and organizations was represented, so the discussions yielded
many helpful insights and provided the consulting team with important additional context.
Results of Consultations
- 36 -
It should be noted that there are limitations to the economic and statistical data used in the
study as well, so our approach is to combine the findings and conclusions from the data-based
economic analysis with the information gleaned in the discussions with businesses (via the
sectoral focus groups, Stakeholder Committee and other interviews) and the general public (via
the Public Information Meetings), to provide a more complete picture of the Townships
economic circumstances and opportunities.
The discussions in the focus group sessions were fairly wide ranging and a lot of discussion
centred around strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) associated with each
of these sectors. These strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats are incorporated into
the SWOT analysis in the next chapter of this report. Other important issues and concerns
identified in each of the sessions, that have potential implications for recommended economic
development strategies, are noted on the following pages. Notes from each of the focus group
sessions are included in Appendix C of this report.
Manufacturing Sector Focus Group

The manufacturers noted that during the recent recession many markets, with the exception of
Canada, declined significantly or were curtailed all together. The entire manufacturing sector
was operating at a lower than normal level of activity. However, since some level of recovery
has been occurring in Canada, the U.S. and overseas (in spite of intermittent ups and downs)
the manufacturers are now facing a situation where they can / need to expand their operations
and, in some cases, they are finding it difficult to expand fast enough to meet recently-increased
market demand. Important issues and concerns raised by participants in this session included:
Difficulties in recruiting suitably qualified skilled labour to expand production as a result of

recently increasing demand.
The perception that there will not be an adequate long-term supply of serviced industrial
lands in appropriate areas.
The need to ensure that industrial growth occurs in appropriate geographic areas and is not
precluded by an overabundance of residential development.
Woolwich needs to have a stronger image/identity and marketplace presence as a good

place to locate manufacturing businesses.
Communications among businesses within Woolwich need to be enhanced and the

Township could play a helpful facilitation role in this regard.
Transportation is a key concern, with the need to ensure adequate road and highway
transportation for truck movements, rail transportation for businesses dependant on rail
freight, and enhanced public transit services to provide better access to labour.
- 37 -
Services Sector Focus Group

Much of this discussion focused around retail businesses, which have found that business has
been fluctuating. As the participants were mainly from Elmira, there were a number of issues
raised about actual and perceived weaknesses in the Elmira downtown area. Participants
believe that Woolwich benefits from the trickle-down effect of the proximity of Research In
Motion (RIM) located in North Waterloo, and that Woolwichs agricultural economy provides a lot
of economic stability that is beneficial to the retail and service businesses
Specific issues and concerns raised that should be addressed in the recommended strategies of
this report included:
The need for enhanced streetscaping, signage and landscaping in the community cores /
downtown cores, particularly Elmira, along with enhanced property standards enforcement.
There was recognition of the potential for attracting professional services businesses and
knowledge-based high-tech businesses, such as Quarry Integrated Communications that
recently moved to St. Jacobs. However, there appear to be limited locations for these types
of offices in existing buildings, as the second floor and above of most downtown buildings
tends to be residential.
Marketing and communication was perceived as an important issue. It was agreed that
Woolwich is under-promoted and there is a significant image issue. There is a perception
that Woolwich and Elmira, in particular, are farther away from Waterloo-KitchenerCambridge than is really the case. Residents who live outside the Township perceive it as
being a much longer drive than it really is (only 15 to 20 minutes away). Therefore, it was
felt that there is an opportunity for Woolwich to promote itself more and, in particular, the
downtown areas and shopping opportunities need to be promoted both within and outside
the region as viable destinations for activities and shopping.
This group also commented that there is a general lack of communications within the
business community in Woolwich, so enhanced communications is an important issue to be
addressed in the Economic Development Plan.
There is a need for some additional personal services businesses such as medical services,
dry cleaners and more restaurants/cafes.
Some businesses felt that it was difficult to recruit qualified employees within Woolwich, so
they depend upon many commuting in from outside the Township. Therefore the need for
enhanced public transit is a priority.
Tourism, Arts and Culture Focus Group

The tourism industry weakened considerably during the recession, especially as a result of the
dramatic decline in the U.S. market. While there has been some recovery, because of the
recovery in the Canadian market, the U.S. market is still very weak to the point where the
Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation has, for now, eliminated its U.S. marketing
program and is focusing on Canadian market segments, primarily from Southern Ontario.
- 38 -
Many of the issues and concerns of this sector were similar to those noted for the services
sector, particularly in relation to retail. Community appearance is a major concern for tourism,
so enhanced streetscaping, landscaping, signage and property standards enforcement again
came up as important issues for tourism. Other issues concerned marketing and promotion and
the need to better leverage partnership opportunities with the Waterloo Regional Tourism
Marketing Corporation, the Provinces new Region 4, Grand River Country and other tourism
marketing organizations in the broader region.
Other important observations noted by participants in the session included the following:
The tourism experience in Woolwich is a combination of tourism-oriented retail, arts, culture,

history and culinary. There is considerable incremental potential in each of these areas.
Other than St. Jacobs, Woolwich and the rest of its communities are not really on the radar
screen in terms of tourism, so more marketing and image development is required.
There is a need for enhancement of outdoor recreational opportunities, particularly parks

and trails, as well as the need for more paved shoulders similar to that between Elmira and
St. Jacobs, to accommodate Old Order Mennonites in their horses and buggies and cyclists.
The importance of existing and potential public transit services to and throughout Woolwich
was emphasized as being important for facilitating access by visitors, as well as by
employees.
Institutional Sector
The concept of this session was to focus more on the institutional and public sector within
Elmira including government, education, health care and utilities. Actual attendance at the
session included a representative from the health-care sector (seniors care), a representative
from the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, a representative from the Waterloo
Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation, and an employment lands property
developer. Therefore, we adapted the session to best fit the knowledge base of those around
the table and focused the discussion around seniors housing and seniors care, entrepreneurs,
and small businesses.
Seniors Housing and Seniors Care in Woolwich
In general there is a shortage of seniors housing and seniors care facilities within Woolwich.
The local retirement homes, nursing home and long-term care facility are full with significant
waiting lists some 80 people on the waiting list in one case. Apparently 20 new units of
seniors housing have been built recently (not a care facility), although there is still a shortage of
supply, particularly in relation to seniors care facilities.
The establishment of seniors care facilities is coordinated with the Waterloo Region Local
Health Integrated Network. Therefore, development of any new facilities would need to be
cleared through this organization, which is part of the Provinces health care system. There is
sufficient land within Elmira, for example, to accommodate development of additional seniors
care facilities and seniors housing.
- 39 -
Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

In Woolwich Township, as with the rest of the province, small to medium-sized businesses are
the backbone of the economy and entrepreneurism seeds the start-up of many small
businesses. During the session we spent considerable time discussing issues and concerns of
entrepreneurs, small business start-ups, and small businesses generally within Woolwich.
Important issues/concerns raised included:
For small business start-ups, the challenge is always access to sufficient capital financing.
As a result of the recent recession it is more difficult than ever for small businesses to
access capital.
Entrepreneurs typically need a lot of advice and mentorship, so any effort to facilitate this
should help to enhance the success rate of new businesses.
Another primary issue for start-up businesses is the availability of affordable space. Most
start-ups can only afford to pay a maximum of $10 to $11 per sq. ft. rather than the $15+ per
square foot rate normally required.
Many entrepreneurs are coming to the area for the quality of life, lending credence to the
concept that talent and their associated knowledge-based businesses can be attracted to
locales with high quality lifestyles. The pleasant combination of urban and rural in Woolwich
Township potentially has a strong appeal.
Public transit is an issue and needs to be enhanced in order to make it easier for businesses
in Woolwich to attract qualified workers and customers.

A fundamental issue is ensuring the preservation of agricultural land, recognizing that there are
many potential agricultural opportunities that would benefit from additional land. Some of the
current regulations are considered restrictive, leading to the perception that it is difficult for small
start-up operations to operate on existing farms. In general the regulatory environment (much
of which is beyond the Townships jurisdiction) is perceived of as being overly restrictive and
complex, which can have the effect of restricting innovation. Other comments from this focus
group include:
There is a finite land base in Woolwich and expansion is limited, particularly for
livestock farms, because of health and safety requirements/regulations.
Small inventory of properties the northern portion of Woolwich has a number of small
parcels of land not suitable for farm development (better-suited to residential development).
Marketing could be improved for this sector and its products.
Overall Vision for Woolwichs Economy from Focus Groups

This was an important area of discussion in the Focus Group sessions. External perceptions of
Woolwich, the vision of Woolwichs economy 5-10 years into the future, and the Townships role
- 40 -
versus the role of businesses were the key topics covered. Key observations in each of these
subject areas are summarized in the following paragraphs.
External Perceptions of Woolwich
The perception of distance between Woolwich and the adjacent cities of Waterloo-KitchenerCambridge is a key issue. Residents and businesses in Woolwich perceive the three cities to
be immediately adjacent and a very short distance away, whereas residents of the cities
perceive Woolwich and Elmira, in particular, as being fairly distant and in the countryside. It
was felt that enhanced marketing and promotion within the cities would be needed to change
this perception. Other external perceptions that need to be addressed include:
Woolwich is generally perceived of as agricultural country, according to representatives of

the manufacturing sector, so there is a need to broaden this perception to reflect its fairly
diversified industrial base and strong non-agricultural attributes.
The external perception of Woolwich from a tourism point of view is largely the image that
has been projected by St. Jacobs Country, which has certainly been effective for promoting
the area. Other parts of the Township are not known as tourist destinations, yet they have a
number of attractions and features to offer.
Vision 5-10 Years into the Future

Key suggestions made regarding the vision for Woolwichs economy 5-10 years into the future
included the following:
The vision for the agricultural and rural-based businesses sector included maintaining a
sustainable rural economy and environment, with future land uses that are compatible with
the agricultural land base, and preserving the prosperous looking, beautiful rural
landscapes.
For manufacturing, the vision is of an expanded manufacturing/industrial base in Woolwich,

located in appropriately zoned and serviced industrial land. It was felt that the addition of
one or more additional moderate-sized plants employing 200-300 workers or more would be
consistent with Woolwichs community goals.
The high of life and quality of place within Woolwich will be maintained and enhanced,
including the rural landscapes, but with improved transportation and transit infrastructure.
Woolwichs downtown areas will become more attractive and easily accessible communities
and destinations, offering residential, business, and shopping areas.
There will continue to be residential, commercial, and industrial development, although it will
be kept in balance with the existing successful agriculture and rural component of the
Township.
The perception of Woolwich within the adjacent urban areas will have been transformed so
that urban residents perceive it as an easily accessible, desirable, close-by destination for
shopping, amenities, and services.
- 41 -
An important means for achieving these visions will be appropriate planning and zoning of
suitable industrial lands with adequate buffer zones separating the industrial lands from
residential and other incompatible uses.
Townships Role versus Role of Businesses.
Participants in the focus groups commented that the Townships role in economic development
should focus on the following areas:
Appropriate planning, zoning and Official Plan policies.
Enforcing appropriate bylaws, enhancing community appearance in collaboration with the

business community, and improving signage.
Facilitating communication between the Township and businesses and among businesses
within Woolwich.
Marketing and promoting Woolwich as a place to visit, a place to live, and a place to do
business in a manner that will enable balanced growth and maintenance of the high-quality
of life.
The role of businesses is to run their own operations effectively, engage in expansion and
diversification, as well as innovation, to ensure a growing and vibrant economy in Woolwich.
Businesses have been, and will continue to be, heavily involved in the marketing and promotion
of tourism and related experiences in Woolwich.
Input Received at Public Meetings

The primary focus of these two meetings (held on December 8, 2010 and January 20, 2011)
was to provide the public with an opportunity to review the work completed to date and to
engage in dialogue with consultants, Township Staff and each other regarding the future of
Woolwichs economy.
First Public Meeting
Important ideas and suggestions made by participants at the first public meeting included the
following suggestions on what Woolwich could do to improve the economy:
Ensuring strong, well-defined and attractive community cores is vital. This should include
improved public transit and accessibility, and appealing streetscapes with highquality
storefront facades, as well as ensuring active By-law enforcement on the exteriors of
buildings along key roadways.
Renew and reform the BIA to be more inclusive and active with a stronger purpose.
Develop lands in Breslau and in proximity to the proposed GO Transit station.
Provide better public transit.
- 42 -
Consider developing more truck bypass routes to make the downtown cores more
appealing and safe.
Attract hightech companies (e.g. computer software developers, companies like RIM) and
parts suppliers for the hightech companies in the Waterloo area.
Offer more tourismrelated activities to complement the Maple Syrup Festival.
Second Public Meeting

This meeting was held in Breslau on January 20, 2011. On a snowy winter night attendance
was sparse and the discussion was dominated by a few people who had business interests in
Breslau.
A lot of the discussion focused around the need for better public transit service to the Breslau
area as the current situation makes it difficult for businesses and industries to locate and
expand there. It was suggested that ideally there should be a public bus going to the airport,
and additional bus services could help businesses and industries in the Breslau area better
access the labour market.
Participants also indicated that additional services in Breslau would be very helpful, such as a
post office, gas station and grocery store. It was noted by Township officials that the planning
for the area does allow for such services and that there are plans for mixed use developments,
but it is really demand in the marketplace that enables these services to develop. As additional
housing is developed in the Breslau area, it is anticipated that such services will evolve.
Youth Consultation Session

The primary focus of this meeting was to hear the views of Woolwich youth on the proposed
Woolwich Economic Development Plan. Participants were encouraged to respond to following
questions.
What is it about Woolwich that you like/dislike?
Where do you currently shop?
What kind of stores (banks, sports equipment, cafes) would you like to have in Woolwich?
What kind of services (e.g. libraries, youth activities) would you like to see in Woolwich?
If Woolwich could attract companies, what kind should they be attracting (I.T., engineering,
construction, clerical)?
If you plan on going to University or College, where would you like to go?
Have you ever started your own business? If so, what kind of business?
Through the focus group, Woolwich youth indicated they were seeking retail, medical and
educational services more commonly available in larger urban centres. Woolwich youth also
sought an expansion of these services in downtown areas that are easily accessible. Desired
- 43 -
retailers are those specifically serving the youth market such as clothing, electronics and fast
food outlets. Medical services included day care, elder care and nursing care facilities. The
demand for educational facilities focused on post-secondary institutions such as vocational
colleges. As youth retention is an important part of the economy of Woolwich, attracting youthoriented businesses in the urbanized retail areas of Woolwich will be important. More details on
this focus group session are reported on in the Appendix.
Council Focus Group

A Focus Group with Council was held to discuss the Woolwich Economic Development Plan
process and preliminary findings and recommendations. Council's comments and discussion
included the following:
The need to maintain the small town character of the Township;
The need to improve signage and wayfinding throughout the Township;
The need to communicate effectively that Woolwich welcomes new businesses and
business growth; and
The importance of the rural character of the Township and the viable agricultural sector.
Results of Online Survey of Businesses

As part of the overall Consultation process, an online survey for businesses was posted on the
Townships website. The survey did not attract enough responses to produce statistically valid
results that could be reported on in percentage terms, but it is possible to discuss the overall
results in qualitative terms.
Most of the surveys were filled out by business owners or partners of the firms involved. The
number of years in business ranged from six months to 38 years and was widely variable
among the respondents. Those who responded were from the agriculture/agri-businesses,
accommodation and food services, arts/entertainment/recreation, retail, services, and
construction sectors of the economy, so it was a fairly broad-based group. Responses to the
key questions are summarized in the following paragraphs:
Top three location factors. Proximity to major markets, availability of suitable office or
commercial space, and availability of suitably skilled labour.
General issues and concerns of businesses. These included the impact of the recent
recession, competition from similar businesses within Waterloo Region, and difficulty in
expanding in their current location.
Issues and concerns facing the sector represented by businesses responding to the
survey. Impact of the recent economic recession and the new Harmonized Sales Tax
(HST), as well as competition from similar businesses within Waterloo Region.
- 44 -
Changes over past few years in your business/sector. Key points mentioned included
the fact that overall business has increased, there is a perception that there are stricter
regulatory requirements, and it is more difficult to recruit and retain skilled labour.
Woolwichs three principal strengths in relation to business and economic

development. The number one strength listed was related to location, particularly the
adjacency to the urban area of Waterloo. The second strength is high quality agricultural
land and produce, and the third strength is the small town rural atmosphere.
Woolwichs three principal weaknesses in relation to business and economic

development. There appeared to be little consensus on weaknesses with nothing
mentioned more than once, so it would be misleading to report anything.
What would assist with developing and/or strengthening your business? Networking
events, seminars, workshops and market information were noted here.
Interest in attending Salute to Woolwich Businesses Event on May 11, 2011. Some
respondents were interested and some were not interested in attending.
Inclusion in Woolwichs Business Directory. Most who responded were interested in

being included in the Directory, so they view this as a helpful initiative.
- 45 -
4 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities & Threats

(SWOT) Analyses
SWOT refers to Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Based on the economic
analysis and consultations of this project, along with visits to Woolwich and the context provided
by previous studies and plans, a SWOT Analysis was prepared for four major components of
Woolwichs economy:
Manufacturing sector
Services sector
Tourism, arts and culture
Agriculture and agri-businesses.
These four components of the economy were selected as are the principal economic drivers for
Woolwich and account for the majority of jobs, as identified earlier in the Economic Base
Analysis of chapter 2.
It is important to note that the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats reported
below are peoples perceptions and observations. Therefore, there are inherent contradictions
in the SWOT reporting. This does not mean that anything is invalid, but that future work and
analysis will clarify and prioritize actions resulting from the SWOT report.
Sectoral SWOT Reports

The SWOT analysis identifies key strengths that the economic development strategy can build
upon, specific weaknesses that need to be addressed by the strategy, the principal
opportunities that should be pursued to enhance the economy, and existing and potential
threats that need to be understood and taken into consideration when developing strategies.
Strengths
The principal strengths for each of these four sectoral components of Woolwichs economy are
summarized in the table below and represent competitive assets Woolwich can build on in
recommending specific economic development strategies or actions.
+ Strengths
Manufacturing:
Strong, fairly diversified existing manufacturing base
Proximity to the Southern Ontario market for many industrial and consumer products
Proximity to other manufacturing enterprises that supply inputs to Woolwichs manufacturers
Availability of rail transportation for heavy industry, as well as easy truck access to Woolwich via
Highway 401 and various connecting Highways
Existing supply of zoned and serviced commercial/industrial land
SWOT Analysis
- 46 -
+ Strengths
Availability of skilled labour for various manufacturing processes, particularly with close proximity
to the large urban populations of Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge
Recent transit service enhancements to Woolwich that facilitate better access to labour
The long history of manufacturing and agricultural products processing in the Township
A good mix of successful family-owned manufacturing enterprises with larger corporate
operations and branches plants of multi-national operations.
Services:
The historic downtown areas of communities offer attractive locations for retailers, restaurants
and other small service businesses
Several types of unique shopping and entertainment experiences are offered in St. Jacobs
including the historic village downtown, the Market District with its farmers markets, outlets mall,
theatres, and antiques outlets
Specialty restaurants and unique dining experiences
Successful business services
Recent attraction of major knowledge-based businesses, such as Quarry Integrated
Communications
Strong support for local retail businesses and services from the Mennonite Community
Large-scale head office, warehousing and distribution centre for Home Hardware.
Tourism, Arts and Culture:
The marketplace success and draw of St. Jacobs as a tourism destination
The tourism-oriented retail districts within St. Jacobs and other attractions such as theatres and
restaurants are a major draw
Township has other major tourism attractions and features including the West Montrose Covered
Bridge, Elmira Theatre Company, Drayton Theatre, and various trails and parks
Scenic natural setting along the Grand River and tie-in with Grand River Country Tourism
The new Woolwich Memorial Centre sportsplex in Elmira is a major asset for sport tourism
High quality roofed accommodations are available in the St. Jacobs area
The areas farmers markets tie-in well with the adjacent agricultural region and agri-tourism
activities
Proximity to visitor markets in major urban areas including Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge and the
Greater Toronto Area is a strong asset
The presence of numerous artists and artisans within the Township are an asset and the source
of some small business enterprises
The Mennonite cultural heritage is a significant tourism asset for the Township.
Agriculture and Rural Businesses:
Strong, diverse agricultural sector with internationally recognized quality products (e.g. summer
sausage, maple syrup, farmers markets, etc.)
Multiple product and multiple commodity farming
Good momentum in terms of the local food movement: Woolwich has the only wholesale produce
auction, as well as Foodlink Waterloo Region
Highly entrepreneurial and cohesive agricultural community that works well together
Active role of the Mennonite community in maintaining thriving farms and agri-businesses
Cutting edge agricultural businesses and organizations
SWOT Analysis
- 47 -
+ Strengths
Labour pool is good because of proximity to Kitchener-Waterloo

Younger farmers and multiple communities involved in agriculture and rural businesses.
Weaknesses
The principal weaknesses of challenges for each of the four sectors are summarized in the
following table, and represent issues that, where possible, should be addressed by the
recommended strategies.
Weaknesses
Manufacturing:
Occasional shortages of labour with specific skills (e.g. current shortage of welders, millwrights,
computerized equipment operators)
There are concerns with how much serviced industrial land is available for immediate
development
There are concerns about rail transportation in that additional use of rail lines for transit may
interfere with freight movements
Services:
Lack of curb appeal of some buildings in downtown Elmira
Need for enhanced streetscaping and landscaping in all community cores
Inadequate signage clearly identifying public parking in the community cores
The empty grocery store in downtown Elmira is a major concern of adjacent retailers since it
precludes a major anchor for the downtown core
The need for better way-finding and welcome signage throughout the Township
Wide shoulders or paved horse and buggy/cycling lanes would be beneficial
There is a need for additional roofed accommodations within the Township, including B&Bs.
Woolwichs agricultural and food products could be better marketed (e.g. maple syrup)
The high value and cost of farmland in Woolwich, a result of its immediate proximity to growing
cities with strong economies
Increasing road and highway traffic with inadequate provision in some areas for moving farm
machinery and travel by horses and buggies
SWOT Analysis
- 48 -
Opportunities
The principal opportunities for each of the four sectoral groupings are summarized in the
following table.
Opportunities
Manufacturing:
Additional steel and metal fabricating operations, building on the success of existing companies in
this segment
Building products manufacturers, to support the building cluster identified in the economic
analysis
Renewable energy technology manufacturing businesses
Potential for other specialized auto parts manufacturers and suppliers to larger manufacturing
operations in Southern Ontario
Expansion of existing manufacturing plants and diversification into additional product lines
Potential for aviation-related manufacturing or assembly adjacent to Waterloo Region
International Airport
Services:
Additional potential for higher-end and unique shops, restaurants and cafes
Incremental potential for high-tech knowledge-based businesses
Potential for other additional professional and technical services businesses
Incremental potential for residential development including mixed-use developments
Substantial potential for packaging of existing attractions and features, including more theatre
packages with restaurants and accommodations
Potential for additional festivals and events, leveraging off the success of the Maple Syrup
Festival
Possible redevelopment of Elmiras Old Town Hall for tourism, arts and cultural uses
Development of additional family oriented tourism activities
Further development of agri-tourism and rural routes tours, building on existing countryside tours
Marketing and promotion of sport tourism, making use of facilities at the new Memorial Centre
Incremental development and marketing of local and organic foods
Stronger marketing of the existing hallmark local food products
Additional agri-tourism activities
Marketing authentic, fresh locally-branded food products
SWOT Analysis
- 49 -
Threats
The principal existing and potential threats for each of the four sectors are summarized in the
following table. Where possible, the potential negative impacts of these threats needs to be
addressed in the recommended strategies.
Threats
Manufacturing:
Pressure from residential development and the maintenance of agricultural land may reduce
potential employment lands available for manufacturing
Continued decline in the U.S. market, which has supported a number of local manufacturing
operations
Strength of the Canadian dollar, which makes exports less competitive
Services:
Pressure from residential development and the need to maintain agricultural land may restrict the
extent of other employment lands available
The appearance and/or disrepair of some downtown properties as a negative impact on retailing
and other services
Future increased traffic volume and congestion may be disruptive to downtown retail areas
Development of heavy industry or noxious plants in close proximity to tourism destination areas
would have a negative impact
Continued weakness of the U.S. tourism market
Intensification of competition from other communities and destination areas in Southern Ontario
and beyond
Pressure of urban encroachment on agricultural land and possible conversions to accommodate
residential and commercial/industrial development
Increasingly stringent and complex regulatory environment
Key Strengths Support Sustainable Competitive Advantages

Woolwich is most likely to succeed in businesses and industries that will benefit from
Woolwichs sustainable competitive advantages. These are primarily locational and resource
assets (e.g. natural resources, human resources) that enable businesses to be more
competitive in their marketplace. These advantages primarily draw from some of the key
strengths noted earlier and include the following:
Sense of connected community and ability to work together. This is an advantage in a

small community. It is a competitive advantage that is attractive to small and medium-sized
businesses in particular. It goes hand-in-hand with the small town atmosphere that is a key
characteristic and strength of Woolwich.
SWOT Analysis
- 50 -
Proximity to Cities of Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge. These cities have a diverse
services and manufacturing-based economy, along with the presence of a significant hightech sector, centred in Waterloo. Woolwich is almost immediately adjacent to the
burgeoning high-tech activity in North Waterloo, which is partly a result of the world-wide
success of Research in Motion (RIM). Woolwich benefits from the proximity to these cities
for various business and personal services that also support business and economic
development in Woolwich.
Beautiful rural areas that include scenic the Grand River Valley, along with unique
community cores. These features provide quality of life attractiveness to Woolwich and
support the tourism industry. Today it is often more about attracting talent than actual
businesses. If talented and creative entrepreneurs can be drawn to the area because of a
high quality of place, they will start and grow the businesses that will generate significant
economic growth.
Range of employment opportunities. This results from Woolwichs diverse economic

base with a very successful agricultural sector, significant manufacturing sector, along with a
range of services and tourism businesses. This wide range of employment opportunities
makes Woolwich attractive for a broad spectrum of demographic groups.
Significant supply of prime agricultural land and strong base of agriculture and agribusinesses. The strength of the agricultural sector has been noted on numerous occasions
in this report. This is a key competitive advantage of the Township that can be built upon by
facilitating development of additional specialized agri-businesses.
Strong and diverse manufacturing base. The diversity of manufacturing within a small
Township is significant and local manufacturers generally find it to be a good location,
because of proximity to labour force, markets and inputs. With the significant growth
occurring throughout Waterloo Region, there is significant potential for Woolwich to expand
its manufacturing base.
Presence of emerging sectors. These include renewable energy technology companies

and high-tech knowledge-based businesses that are starting to locate in the township and
offer a nucleus upon which to build in these growth industries.
SWOT Analysis
- 51 -
5 Priority Opportunities, Trends and Economic

Development Needs
Many possible opportunities that should be pursed were noted in the SWOT Analysis in the
preceding chapter. The priority opportunities that Woolwich should pursue are discussed in
more detail in this chapter. These priority opportunities have been selected for the following
reasons:
They build on one or more of the previously identified strengths of Woolwichs economy;
There is an existing presence and/or resources within Woolwich that can be leveraged;
Some of the manufacturing and knowledge-based high tech opportunities line-up well with
industries that have been identified as being of strategic importance to the broader regional
economy and are Priority Sectors in the CTT Strategic Plan and other strategic planning
documents (as listed earlier in Chapter1);
They offer good growth potential because they are in growth sectors; and
They appear to be generally compatible with local aspirations for balanced economic
growth.
In this chapter some broader trends that need to be taken into consideration in preparing
economic development strategy recommendations for Woolwich are discussed. Specific
economic development needs that will need to be addressed by the strategy recommendations
are also identified.
Priority Opportunities and Economic Drivers

Agriculture and Rural Business Opportunities
This was previously identified as a major economic driver for the Townships economy, as
evidenced in the economic date presented in Chapter 2, which shows that 10.2% of Woolwichs
labour force is employed in agriculture and other resource-based industries. The more detailed
data shown in Appendix A on page A-2 indicates that the most of this employment is on farms of
various types and the rest of this employment is in support activities for farms. Many of the
farms are focused on specific commodities, although it is beyond the scope of this document to
identify commodity-specific opportunities that can clearly fluctuate from year-to-year, based on
commodity prices. However, based on broader trends in agriculture, food production and food
processing, some value-added opportunities that should be examined include:
The potential for expanding organic agriculture within Woolwich, which has a relatively small
presence compared to other parts of the province, plus greenhouse operations.
The potential for further expanding buy local, buy fresh Woolwich produce and branding
and marketing it more extensively, including encouraging additional food stands and/or local
markets.
Priority Opportunities, Trends and

Economic Development Needs
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The potential for additional small specialty food processing operations, building on the
success of existing feed and food processing companies in the Township, such as those
shown in Figure 5.1. Based on the ten companies shown in Figure 5.1, there are almost
600 employees working at these specialty feed and food processing operations. A number
of these companies have a long history in the Township, which is indicative of a sustainable
competitive advantage.
Figure 5.1: Woolwich Food Processing Businesses Listed in Business Directory
Company Name
Primary NAIC
Location
No. of
Employees
300
Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd.
311611 - Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
Breslau
Elmira Pet Products Ltd.
311111 - Dog and Cat Food Manufacturing
Elmira
Floradale Feed Mill Ltd.
311119 - Other Animal Food Manufacturing
Floradale
55
W-S Feed & Supplies Ltd.
Conestogo
40
Martin Mills
311100 - Animal Food Manufacturing
Elmira
30
The Fudgery Shoppe
St Jacobs
15
St. Jacobs
13
Brittles 'N More - Division of St.

Jacobs Candy Company Ltd.
PFI Farms Inc.
311340 -Non-Chocolate Confectionery

Manufacturing
311614 - Rendering and Meat Processing from
Carcasses
311340 - Non-Chocolate Confectionery
Manufacturing
St. Jacobs
12
Elmira
10
Reist & Weber Butcher Limited
311611 - Animal (except Poultry) Slaughtering
St Jacobs
Heidleberg Foods
100
Source: Waterloo Region, Marketplace Business Directory (2008), Township of Woolwich
Opportunities in Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Manufacturing

In the economic analysis of Chapter 2 there was extensive discussion of the successful
manufacturing sector in Woolwich. Therefore, the thrust of efforts to enhance the manufacturing
sector should be directed towards industries the community would like to encourage such as
advanced manufacturing (e.g.- the Toyota parts plant) and technology manufacturing (e.g.RIMs operation in Waterloo). There is clearly a merit and rationale for pursuing both of these
types of manufacturing operations, given the success of existing enterprises either in Woolwich
or adjacent areas. The table in Figure 5.2 lists three categories of advanced manufacturing or
technology manufacturing companies.
Figure 5.2: Advanced Manufacturing and Technology Manufacturing Businesses Listed in
Woolwich Business Directory
Category and Company
Name
Primary NAIC
Location
#
Employees
Elmira
340
Elmira
10
Elmira
Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

Toyota Boshoku Canada
Inc.
Motivair Exhaust Canada
Inc.
Enviro-Eze Inc.
336360 - Motor Vehicle Seating and Interior Trim

Manufacturing
336390 - Other Motor Vehicle Parts
Manufacturing
336340 - Motor Vehicle Brake System
Manufacturing

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Category and Company

Name
Mechdyne Corporation
Canada
Pointer Avionics Ltd.
M.A.S. Enterprises Inc.
Elmira Stove Works

EGS Electrical Group
Canada
C3 Battler Inc.
Location
#
Employees
St Jacobs
130
Breslau
11
St Jacobs
Elmira
20
335930 - Wiring Device Manufacturing
Elmira
75
335930 - Wiring Device Manufacturing
Breslau
11
Primary NAIC
Computer and Electronic Product
Manufacturing Companies
334110 - Computer and Peripheral Equipment
Manufacturing
334220 - Radio and Television Broadcasting and
Wireless Commun. Equipment Man.
334512 - Measuring, Medical and Controlling
Devices Manufacturing
Electrical Equipment, Appliance and
Component Manufacturing
335223 - Major Kitchen Appliance Manufacturing
Source: Waterloo Region, Marketplace Business Directory (2008), Township of Woolwich
This data indicates that there are already several hundred employees at a minimum working in
this sector within Woolwich. The proximity to the high-tech hub in North Waterloo bodes well for
the potential of locating similar enterprises in Woolwich that could draw from the same labour
pool.
Land use planning, zoning and servicing of appropriate infill, brownfield and undeveloped or
greenfield sites will be required to ensure that these types of operations will have a place to
locate.
Another important rationale for targeting these types of manufacturing operations is the fact that
they are in relatively rapidly growing global markets and there are sustainable competitive
advantages for locating within Waterloo Region.
Tourism, Recreation, Arts and Culture
These four sectors go hand-in-hand and directly relate to the visitor experience in Woolwich,
while at the same time enhancing quality of life for residents and workers by providing enhanced
recreational, arts and cultural amenities. In relation to enhanced amenities and services,
tourism can help to facilitate the attraction of talent for other sectors of the economy. These
tourism related components of the economy have traditionally been a significant economic
driver for Woolwich. This is reflected in the economic data which indicates that there are over
800 jobs in the accommodation and food services and arts, entertainment and recreation
sectors within Woolwich, in addition to a significant number of tourism jobs in the retail sector,
which accounts for close to 2,000 jobs in Woolwich. If approximately 20% of retail jobs (400)
are attributed to tourism along with a majority of the employment in accommodation, food
services, arts, entertainment and recreation, then tourism accounts for in the range of 8-10% of
all jobs in Woolwich, making it an important sector.

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As the U.S. market is at the low point in the recession, it is likely that tourism in the region will
start to grow over the next several years, eventually returning to the previously higher levels.
Specific opportunities related to tourism that would work well for Woolwich include the following:
Preparation and implementation of a regional culinary tourism strategy for Woolwich. There
are actually examples of this concept such as the Savour Stratford Perth County initiative
and the Niagara Culinary Trail program, making use of promotional materials and packages
to tie together restaurants, wineries, vineyards, farmers markets and other agricultural and
culinary attractions. Links with existing events such as the Elmira Maple Syrup Festival, the
annual A Taste of Woolwich event, and Foodlinks Taste Local! Taste Fresh! event are key.
Recognizing the significant rural character of the Township, the setting along the Grand
River, and the strong agricultural base, further develop and promote specific agri-tourism
products (beyond culinary tourism) such as farm stays, farm-based bed and breakfasts, and
countryside/farm tours, building on what already exists in this regard, such as the
Townships Countryside Tours. This type of packaging and promotion takes some time to
develop effectively and penetrate the market, and it requires effective partnerships. The
Townships Economic Development Office could play a role in facilitating this type of
initiative.
Strengthen Woolwichs outdoor activity offerings to draw more of the outdoor

adventure/ecotourism market, emphasizing the connection to the Grand River Valley. This
is a growing segment of tourism and Woolwich already has a fairly extensive trails network,
for both hiking and cycling that could be expanded upon to draw this market. Golfing is
another popular outdoor activity that the Townships golf courses support. The large
population base in the rest of Waterloo Region and the Greater Toronto Area represent
significant potential sources of these types of visitors, along with the young, university and
college based population in the region. This needs to be done strategically, in order to
leverage economic impacts by tying-in with local restaurants, bed and breakfast
accommodations, and other services that hikers, bikers, golfers and other outdoor
adventurers would make use of.
Knowledge-based Sector, High-Tech Sector, Renewable Energy Sector

This opportunity builds on the existing small core of these businesses and would take
advantage of the proximity to the rapidly growing knowledge-based high-tech sector in
Waterloo. A few examples of the types of knowledge-based businesses that would be a good fit
include: computer and communications software development; new media and other
communications and graphic design oriented companies (e.g.- Quarry Integrated
Communications); specialized engineering and design firms related to the high-tech sector or
advanced manufacturing; and other professional service firms that could support local industry
and residents. Some additional reasons why it makes sense to pursue these types of
businesses include:
The proximity to University of Waterloo, Conestoga College, Wilfrid Laurier University and
University of Guelph, whose graduates represent a nearby potential highly skilled labour
pool.

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This sector provides jobs for young highly educated workers, which abound in the region,
although have not been drawn to Woolwich.
These types of businesses typically start small and would be a good fit to Woolwich during
their earlier stages of development, where they can be housed in relatively small premises
for lower lease rates.
These are rapidly growing types of businesses regionally, nationally and internationally, so
represent excellent future growth potential.
The jobs are typically highly paid and offer great career potential.
These types of businesses have already been identified as high priority targets for the
regional economy by the regional economic development agency, Canadas Technology
Triangle (CTT).
Retail, Commercial and Office Development in Community Cores

Woolwich has a vibrant retail base that includes specialty retail operations such as the farmers
markets, antique markets and flea markets, an outlet mall, and downtown shopping. All of these
retail operations have been a significant draw for visitors as well as local residents, so they are
great assets for the community. Woolwich should continue to build on this specialty retailing
success and leverage this further by providing adjacent locations for other commercial activities,
including various business services, personal service businesses, and office space for all types
of enterprises. Tourism may not necessarily be a focus, but a healthy mix of retail, commercial
and offices should be encouraged in all of the downtown cores, along with preservation of
historic buildings and the encouragement of enhanced streetscaping, faade upgrading,
landscaping and themed signage.
The following issues that have been flagged in the consultations for this Economic Development
Plan:
An important principal going forward is to minimize the displacement of existing uses out
of the community cores.
The major success story in terms of heritage retailing and unique office space is St.
Jacobs. It has developed a very successful tourism-oriented retail core, although with
the decline of the American market it was not possible to sustain the level of retailing
that once existed, so some of this space was being transitioned into high-end boutique
office space for knowledge-based companies.
The success of recruiting Quarry Communications is a notable example and there
should be additional potential to attract this type of business to the community downtown
cores, for smaller specialty knowledge-based, high-tech companies.
Retailing opportunities will need to focus on specialty niches, where Woolwich has been
very successful, as nearby Waterloo and Kitchener and Cambridge have an extensive
inventory of shopping mall type retail space, so Woolwich will have to differentiate itself
to carve out its own market, focusing on specialty products and services and those
geared to local residents.

- 56 -
The Township will be doing Secondary Plans for Breslau and the Stockyards, which will provide
opportunities to reinforce the preceding points.
Taking Advantage of Relevant Regional Growth and Development Trends

In addition to developing recommendations that take advantage of the identified sectoral
opportunities, it is important to develop recommendations that will enable Woolwich to take
advantage of important regional growth and development trends, so we have compared
Woolwich to some other similar-sized municipalities and reviewed some of these trends.
How Woolwich Compares to Other Similar-sized Communities
The following are several Central Ontario communities having a similar population and similar
proximity to urban areas:
Figure 5.3: Comparable Communities to Woolwich
Community
Woolwich
Wilmot
Scugog
Uxbridge
Grimsby
Lincoln
East Gwillimbury
Whitchurch Stouffville
Bradford West Gwillimbury
Population
20,500
19,600
20,370
17,600
21,970
20,500
19,240
20,420
24,000
Urban Area influence

Kitchener/ Waterloo
Kitchener/ Waterloo
Oshawa
Markham
Hamilton
Hamilton
Newmarket/ Aurora
Markham
Barrie
Population
178,180/ 445,640
178,180/ 445,640
147,000
202,780
490,270
490,270
73,715/ 45,000
202,780
130,540
In general Woolwich compares well. It is experiencing similar growth pressures, but the strong
viable farming community and well defined growth policies contribute to Woolwich making its
own decisions about how it will grow. The farm community is relatively cohesive. Woolwich
farmers are entrepreneurial and understand the many ways of marketing their products more
so than farmers in similar sized communities. The exceptions would be soft fruit marketing in
Grimsby and Lincoln. Other relevant comparisons are noted below:
Woolwich performs well in terms of attracting and maintaining its industrial base. Having an
airport and head office of Home Hardware are assets that many similar sized communities
are lacking.
Nearby Wilmot Township experienced faster population growth than Woolwich between
2001 and 2006, but Woolwich appears better positioned for economic growth with its close
proximity to the booming high tech sector in North Waterloo, closer proximity than Wilmot to
the Greater Toronto area, and the presence within Woolwich of Waterloo Region
International Airport, which is a major strategic asset.

- 57 -
Some communities have done a much better job than Woolwich in preserving and
enhancing their downtown areas. Both Scugog and Woolwich are tourist destinations
through their provision of outlet (Woolwich) and or unique (Woolwich and Scugog) shopping
destinations. However, many struggle to maintain active downtown cores with higher end
shopping, fine dining and attractive architecture and urban design. Scugog and Whitchurch
Stouffville perform better in maintaining distinctive design and architecture and fine dining
establishments.
Compared to similar GTA located rural agricultural communities, such as Bradford West
Gwillimbury and Whitchurch Stouffville (e.g. farm implement sales and repair, mills)
businesses supporting agricultural are still active. More than other communities Woolwich is
a steward of its unique agricultural circumstances.
Many other similar ex-urban communities are experiencing a replacement of full-time

farmers with either hobby farmers or urban commuters interested in the rural ambience but
not interested in active farming as a full-time occupation (e.g. Uxbridge, Bradford West
Gwillimbury, East Gwillimbury). This is a weakness for those communities where the rural
community becomes eroded by a great amount of farm land being used for non-agricultural
purposes.
Rural communities further from urban areas (e. g. South Western Ontario, Eastern Ontario)
are experiencing: an aging farm population, corporate purchase and consolidation of active
farms, and high costs for young rural residents wanting to either get into farming or stay in
farming. In some similar communities outside of Guelph and Ottawa (e.g. Leeds and
Grenville, Brockville), farmers are much more active in bioscience and cooperate with
colleges and universities. Bio-technology products and agricultural science technology is
being exported.
The Old Order Mennonite community is a distinguishing characteristic within Woolwich and
the broader region. These Woolwich residents support a community that is cohesive and
sufficiently resourced so as to anchor land use and economic development decisions.
Woolwich has a viable industrial base and its industries, while vulnerable to high
transportation costs and the higher Canadian dollar, appear to be weathering economic
uncertainties. These industries have locational advantages in proximity to the Kitchener/
Waterloo corridor, GTA and US markets compared to other similar sized communities in
Central Ontario.
Compared to other similar sized communities, Woolwich provides similar amenities, such as
the recreation complex and other recreation facilities. House prices are also reasonable
compared to house prices elsewhere.
Most of the communities are close enough to the larger urban areas to allow residents a
variety of shopping experiences. However, like Woolwich, the communities are small
enough that local family owned businesses can still survive.

- 58 -
Trends in the Urban Areas that may Affect the Woolwich Economy
Several urban areas (such as Hamilton and Oshawa) are receiving significant Provincial and
Federal support for urban renewal as they have been hit hard over the last 25 years with the
shift of jobs away from labour intensive manufacturing. Led by a number of high-tech firms and
the universities and colleges, Waterloo Region has performed well in leading the knowledgebased economy. The effect on smaller centres such as Woolwich is that funding from higher
levels of government will depend on whether Woolwich can brand itself so as to distinguish its
initiatives and needs compared to other smaller and larger urban centres.
Waterloo Region and many other larger centres have performed well in terms of attracting
new Canadian immigrants. In turn, these immigrants have started businesses and
contributed to the growth of the economy. Woolwich and many of the smaller centres will
face challenges in attracting and keeping an immigrant population. Necessary supports
include: immigrant reception services, appropriate housing and health care services,
language training and educational supports.
As Canadas Technology Triangle Waterloo Region has performed very well in attracting
some of the top innovators in the world. The Region is linked to the global communities and
supports innovation and creativity. Woolwich has an opportunity to benefit from
technological economy spin-offs. For example, several participants in the public
consultation process pointed to the opportunity to enhance Woolwichs higher tech job
sector by providing appropriate support for research and executive office space.
Over the next 25 years Waterloo Region will be better connected to broader transportation
hubs. For example, the expansion of the Western GTA 400 series highway network, the
completion of the Mid-Peninsula Highway will provide quicker access to US markets and the
GTA. The pressure to expand the Hamilton and Waterloo Region International Airports and
the completion of GO Transit rail service to the GTA will create urban growth and
development pressures for Woolwich.
Larger urban areas are looking for ways to promote urban agriculture. This will provide
opportunities for the Woolwich agricultural community to sell at farmers markets and other
venues. This supports the trend we see in Woolwich today of people travelling to purchase
local food in rural areas at markets and farm-gate stands.
There is a higher demand for a variety of ethnic foods grown in rural communities within the
GTA. Many farms have switched to smaller scale higher value agricultural production.
Other trends in urban areas that may affect the Woolwich economy include: additional
downloading of social services and other Federal and Provincial services to municipalities and
the need to consolidate the provision of urban and rural services; and, increasing pressures to
intensify growth in urban areas and provide the necessary water and waste water servicing.
Broader Economic Trends that may Affect the Future of Woolwich
Many Woolwich businesses are competing against other businesses around the world.
Therefore, several global trends have the potential of affecting the Woolwich economy, including
the following:

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The strongest future influence is the potential for lower cost international producers to
undercut the price of made-in-Woolwich products. For example, Peel Region farmers
already point out that some traditional Ontario farm products are being imported at a similar
quality and lower price from South America and Southeast Asia. The global trend of free
trade and Canadas strong promotion of free trade mean that Woolwich products can be
exported into those markets while off-shore products can be imported and sold locally.
Free Trade and the importation of lower cost products may influence made-in-Woolwich
products purchased locally by Home Hardware and other prominent businesses and thereby
undercutting local made production.
The extent to which Canada and Ontario will continue to do well in the global economy
depends on whether we can continue to maintain high levels of education, innovation,
entrepreneurship and creativity. This means that Woolwich must continue to do its share to
ensure residents are well educated and that their economic development ideas receive
support.
While peak oil and the end of the hydro-carbon economy is still a matter of debate, it is
expected that transportation costs and hydro-carbon dependent businesses will continue to
experience risks.
The further rise of the Canadian dollar will have implications for Woolwich products and
businesses. For example, several Woolwich businesses compete with US firms and the rise
of the Canadian dollar will undermine their competitiveness.
Canada is becoming a magnet for international firms to set up shop here due to the certainty
of the business environment, quality of life and NAFTA. Woolwich needs to continue to
assess the extent to which it wishes to take advantage of these opportunities.
Provincial policies now protect Woolwichs valuable natural and rural features.
People across Ontario are experiencing longer and healthier lives. However, this will have
implications for the ability of Woolwich and other jurisdictions to support an aging population.
The next generation of adults will be seeking active living and will be active in terms of their
use of time.
Obesity is on the rise and volunteerism is on the decline. Canada and Woolwich residents
will experience health care challenges because of physical inactivity, increased computer
time and poor eating habits. Youth are looking for more spontaneous activities compared to
structured programs. There will be more demand on parks, open spaces and natural areas
close to where they live.
General Economic Development Needs to be Addressed by Strategies

The extensive research, economic analysis and consultations have resulted in identification of
opportunities in target sectors that are primarily associated with the Woolwich economys
economic drivers, as noted earlier in this chapter. In order to take advantage of sectoral
opportunities and promote balanced economic growth and prosperity for Woolwich, the
- 60 -
recommended strategies must address specific needs or gaps that must be filled to be
successful. These general, non-sector specific economic development needs that we will
develop strategies to address are summarized in the following paragraphs.
1. Land use planning and management that will support the Townships economic
development objectives ensuring continued protection of agricultural lands, designating
sufficient employment lands for the long term, and generally ensuring that Woolwichs
physical and economic planning are aligned. Therefore, a clear thrust of the strategies
recommended should be designed to fulfill this need based on the following rationale:
In the focus group sessions and public meetings there was extensive discussion
regarding the need to protect and preserve agricultural lands, yet at the same time
enable designation of sufficient employment lands to facilitate economic growth in key
sectors such as retail/commercial, offices, tourism and manufacturing.
The consultations also revealed concerns about the availability of affordable and
appropriate housing within the Township, which can at least be partly alleviated through
proactive planning.
Maintaining vibrant community cores was a key area of discussion and can be facilitated
by the appropriate planning, zoning and Official Plan policies and guidelines.
Recognizing that the Township is about to embark on a scoped Official Plan review, the
timing is appropriate for making a number of planning oriented recommendations.
The perception of brownfields was a subject raised in the consultations. They provide
potential business location opportunities, so must be suitably dealt with in the planning
and economic development management process.
Downtown cores that are physically attractive and retain a unique character, such as St.
Jacobs Village, are the result of forward thinking planning and entrepreneurship on the
part of the private and public sectors. The public sector planning and management
process is a great facilitator of attractive downtown cores, as long as effective
partnerships are developed with the local business community. This will also help to
minimize the displacement of uses out of the downtown cores.
2. Similar to land use planning, it is essential to manage the ongoing development of

appropriate transportation and utilities, which are essential for both businesses and
residents. With a growing community, there is a continuing need to upgrade and expand
various motorized and non-motorized transportation routes for various vehicles, buggies and
pedestrians, as well as key utilities and services such as water, sewer, electricity and
communications. The rationale for addressing this particular set of needs is as follows:
During the consultations there was extensive discussion regarding all forms of
transportation and the need for ongoing upgrading and enhancement of related
infrastructure including roads, bridges, walkways, buggy routes, trails, rail transit service,
and rail freight service. A number of these issues are identified in the Regional
Transportation Plan.

- 61 -
Utilities and services were a concern of some businesses, particularly in relation to

manufacturing and the servicing of new employment lands.
In order to develop the high-tech sector in Woolwich, a high level of advanced

communications infrastructure must be available.
3. There is a need to strengthen existing businesses, enabling them to expand and

prosper, while at the same time encouraging entrepreneurs to develop new
businesses. Most economic growth occurs from the expansion of existing enterprises and
the development of new enterprises within the community. Therefore, addressing these two
needs through integrated strategies will help to stimulate economic growth. The supporting
rationale for addressing these needs includes:
Much of the discussion in the consultations with the business community focused on
what could be done to help existing businesses expand and prosper.
Because of its role in local planning and development, the Township can exercise
considerable influence over the potential for existing businesses to prosper and expand.
With effective land use planning, and providing the required support services for
entrepreneurs, it is possible for any municipality, working with partners, to facilitate
entrepreneurship.
The Provinces local Small Businesses Centre and Waterloo-Wellington Community

Futures are two organizations set-up to help entrepreneurs in relation to financing and
business counselling. Therefore, there is an organizational infrastructure in place that
the Township can partner with to facilitate such support.
4. Effective internal and external communications are essential to facilitate economic

development. Communications came up as a point of discussion in virtually all of the
consultation sessions. In the business sectoral focus groups participants remarked that
getting together as a sectoral group was a great idea and that more such events should
occur in order to facilitate communications. Among the communications needs that were
noted in the discussions are the following:
The issue of general awareness and perception of the Township as a place to visit, a
place to live and a place to do business. The issue of branding and promoting the
Township in this regard was raised, while recognizing the important roles the regional
marketing agencies are playing for tourism and economic development. It was felt,
however, that Woolwichs image and identity would still be a valuable asset that could be
leveraged within the context of the Waterloo Region activities.
It was frequently noted in the consultations that enhanced communications within the
business community and between the business community and the Township will be
highly beneficial to both private and public sector partners. Some of the issues and
concerns raised in the consultations were sometimes misperceptions of the reality,
simply resulting from a lack of communication.
With the Internet and the World Wide Web, the potential for enhanced communications
is extensive and affordable, so it makes sense for the Township to pursue enhanced
internal and external communications.

- 62 -
Communications activities are beneficial for all sectors of the economy, which will benefit
from the initiatives.
5. Access to appropriately trained and skilled labour is a critical location factor for
businesses that must be addressed by specific strategies. This was also a point of
discussion in the consultations, as some companies indicated difficulty in accessing skilled
labour in order to expand their operations in the face of market growth. What is particularly
important is to attract labour in the prime working age group of 25 to 44 years old. Further
rationale for addressing the particular need or gap includes:
The demographic analysis in the study demonstrated that the proportion of the resident
population in the prime working age group was lower than for Waterloo Region overall or
the province overall. This is clearly an economic disadvantage, although it can be
overcome by attracting workers who may happen to reside outside the Township, but
are easily accessible to it via appropriate transportation modes.
Business owners and managers in all sectors were concerned that the youth within the
Township typically move away to find jobs and careers, so it is important to understand
what would motivate them to stay and pursue their careers in Woolwich.
It is essential to proactively attract labour in the prime working age group and attract
talented entrepreneurs who will be the future of business in Woolwich.
The high-tech sector, in particular, is dependent on young, highly educated workers,

many of whom are at nearby universities and colleges, so attracting a proportion of them
is a feasible task.
6. Effective economic development is dependent on partnerships with the business

community, all levels of government, and various business and community associations and
non-profit organizations. This means that a coherent economic development program will
be based on partnerships, in order to muster the human and financial resources required to
implement various strategies and recommendations. The rationale for this particular
economic development need resulted from the following:
Discussions with a number of the key partners the Township is already working with,
which revealed the potential of these synergies
The ability to leverage the Townships resources by partnering with other levels of
government and appropriate agencies, associations and other organizations.
Effectively networking with partners can also enhance internal and external
communications for economic development and create an awareness of opportunities
that would not be known about in isolation from the various partners.
7. Effective monitoring and evaluation of ongoing economic development initiatives and

activities is essential for achieving results. The Economic Development Plan needs to
be refined from year-to-year in order to make the best judgments on what changes to
make, there is a need to clearly measure and monitor progress.

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Economic development is a relatively expensive process requiring significant human and

financial resources, so it is essential to ensure that there is a benefit from the various
initiatives and activities.
At the same time it can be difficult to measure impacts and results as some of these make
take years to accrue and actually show up in typical economic indicators such as
employment levels by sector and the number of new businesses started-up or attracted.
An Economic Development Plan is similar to any Business Plan or Marketing Plan in that
there are a series of goals, objectives and targets and the extent to which these are met can
be measured either qualitatively or quantitatively or both.
The consulting team is well aware of the measures that various economic development
agencies and departments have used successfully to monitor and evaluate progress, and a
number of recommendations are made in Chapter 7 of this Report.
In the following Chapter we have made specific Strategic Planning and Management of
Economic Development recommendations that address these general economic development
needs, along with recommendations for developing sector specific opportunities.

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6 Recommended Vision, Strategic Directions,

Objectives and Strategic Actions
This Chapter provides the principal recommendations of the Woolwich Economic Development
Plan. It defines the overall vision, the areas of focus and strategic directions, along with the
specific objectives and potential strategic actions associated with each of the strategic
directions.
Township of Woolwich Economic Development Vision

The vision statement should be a reflection of Woolwichs economic development aspirations.
In an overall sense it should reflect how Woolwichs economy will change or not change over
the next decade and what should be emphasized We stress that the economic development
vision should have an economic focus as it is not simply a general overall community vision.
The economic development vision should be supportive of any broader community aspirations.
The draft vision statement is as follows:
Woolwich will be a premiere location for economic development opportunities
in Waterloo Region.
Woolwichs Core Values

Woolwich has a number of core values, which are important assets that will support this overall
vision and can be built upon in the context of the recommended economic development
strategies. Particular values and the related significance of each are noted in the following
paragraphs.
Woolwichs people. Clearly the existing resident population and the labour force from
outside Woolwich that works within Woolwich represent important assets and encompass
the following:
Strong work ethic this leads to a productive and loyal workforce which is attractive to
new and expanding businesses.
High level of volunteerism this provides broader community support for cultural and
social services and community events, all of which has a positive impact on business
and economic development.
Entrepreneurial community this has been stimulated by the strong agricultural base as
farmers, by nature, are entrepreneurs and much of Woolwichs economic activity is in
the form of small businesses. Entrepreneurs tend to be creative and innovative, which
fosters economic development.
Established tourist destinations. The Village of St. Jacobs, in particular, is a wellestablished tourist destination that has drawn visitors from elsewhere in the region, more
broadly within Southern Ontario, and even nationally and internationally. The well-
Recommended Vision, Strategic Directions,

- 65 -
established tourism activity in Woolwich provides a good base to build on and enable such
aspects as agri-tourism to be developed in cooperation with the agricultural sector.
Well-established Maple Syrup Festival. This is a real strength in that it gives the
Township a strong profile Elmiras Maple Syrup Festival has operated for more than 45
years and draws as many as 80,000 in one day, so it provides tremendous market profile for
the Township as a tourist destination.
Unique culture. This primarily relates to the Old Order Mennonite culture which is a unique
characteristic of the area and another draw for visitors. Combined with the tourist-oriented
retail and other visitor activities, it enhances the tourism appeal of Woolwich.
Natural beauty. Woolwichs pastoral agricultural landscape and connections to the rivers
and smaller waterways are important features that draw visitors to the area, especially given
the intense urban development elsewhere in Waterloo Region and the nearby Greater
Toronto Area.
Proximity to larger cities. This primarily refers to the Townships adjacency to the cities of
Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge and their strong economies, based on manufacturing,
services and the successful high-tech cluster in Waterloo. This proximity provides a built-in
market for Woolwichs tourism sector, along with spin-off economic development and
business opportunities related to manufacturing and high-tech.
Waterloo Region International Airport. This is a great asset for Woolwich and is a
significant employer itself, is expected to grow over the next several years, and will likely
spawn additional aviation-related businesses and industries that would benefit from an
airport location.
Establish unique community centres. This refers to the community cores in each of
Woolwichs individual communities including Elmira, St. Jacobs, Breslau, Conestogo and
others. These commercial cores provide a focus for each of the communities and represent
opportunities for business expansion and the location of new businesses.
Proximity to successful major universities and college. These include Waterloo, Wilfrid
Laurier and Guelph Universities, and Conestoga College, which are close to Woolwich and
offer a source of well-educated labour and business entrepreneurs.
Production of a wide variety of food. This strength fits well with the current trend to
buying local, fresh produce and with related trends such as the 100 Mile Diet. There is
incremental potential in the area of organic foods and this may be an opportunity for some of
Woolwichs agricultural producers.
Evaluation Criteria for Strategic Directions, Objectives and Actions

In connection with developing the strategic directions, objectives, and actions for economic
development in Woolwich that will help realize the overall vision, a set of specific evaluation
criteria against which these were screened was identified, to ensure their relevance and priority.

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Therefore, the recommended strategic directions, objectives and potential actions rate strongly
against the majority of these criteria. The criteria are:
Encourages opportunities that are complementary to existing businesses and enterprises
Continues to strengthen the diversity of Woolwichs economic base
Maintains the significant agricultural land base and supporting infrastructure and services
Supports and enhances one or more of Woolwichs key economic drivers including
agriculture, manufacturing, tourism/arts/culture, retail and professional services
Supports and enhances one or more of Woolwichs economic clusters including

agriculture/food processing, building products, machinery manufacturing and
tourism/arts/culture
Supports and enhances existing productive relationships and partnerships for business and
Practicality in terms of implementation
Potential costs of implementation versus anticipated benefits
Time frame required for implementation
Supports effective planning and zoning and related land use policies
Leverages key strengths, infrastructure and other existing assets
Maintains high quality urban-rural lifestyle of the Township
Recommended Areas of Focus

There are two overall areas of focus with associated economic development strategic directions
that will enable Woolwich to grow and prosper as a diversified economy while maintaining its
distinctive individual community cores and rural landscapes:
1. Strategic Planning and Management of Economic Development These objectives and
proposed actions affect all aspects of the Woolwich community economy. Specifically, they
help to enhance Woolwichs competitiveness as a place to do business and ensure that it
has the infrastructure and amenities that will appeal to residents and businesses.
2. Developing Sector Specific Opportunities Developing economic strategies that are specific
to key sectors and sub-sectors of the local community economy is key to moving ahead in a
progressive manner, ensuring the diversification and resilience of the economy. Based on
data specific to Woolwich and the Region, the sectors in broad terms that can effectively be
developed include: agriculture and rural businesses, manufacturing, knowledge-based
businesses, tourism/recreation/arts/culture and the retail/commercial services sector. Within

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these five sectoral groupings there is a range of more specific opportunities that Woolwich
can pursue to further diversify and expand its economy.
Recommended Strategic Directions

Each recommended strategic direction follows from the research, analysis, and consultation
undertaken for this project. They fulfill economic development needs identified in the preceding
chapter of this report and support the development of the sector specific priority opportunities
identified in that chapter as well. Although some of these strategies are similar to those used in
other communities, the total combination of recommended strategic directions, specific
objectives and associated potential actions are specific to Woolwich.
Strategic Planning, Communication, Partnerships, and Administration
There are seven strategic directions that are recommended under this first area of focus,
outlined below, with the supporting rationale.
1. Implement well-managed, balanced, responsible growth across the Township,
maintaining rural landscape and distinct community cores. The Official Plan, Official
Plan policies and Zoning By-law must be up-to-date relative to current expectations
regarding community amenities and services, and clearly articulate policies regarding land
use planning that will enable the growth and development of Woolwichs economy, while
maintaining its distinct urban-rural character and quality of life. The Provinces Places to
Grow Act is a key part of the legal framework for growth planning in Ontario and is part of a
broader framework for building stronger, prosperous communities by improving how and
where growth and development occurs. These policies direct municipalities to ensure the
availability of sufficient land to accommodate forecasted employment growth and a variety of
employment uses, so this area of focus will also support Woolwichs compliance with this
provincial legislation.
The Region of Waterloo Official Plan (ROP) promotes achieving more balanced growth by
directing a greater share of new development to the existing Built-up Area (e.g.- Elmira, St.
Jacobs) to make better use of land, existing physical infrastructure, community infrastructure
and human services. This means that Woolwich is expected to build more compact, vibrant
and complete communities with walkable neighbourhoods and a balanced mix of
employment, housing, shopping and services.
Woolwichs community cores are important to ensure a range of commercial, retail and
office space opportunities for Woolwichs businesses and residents, along with the potential
of attracting visitors in each case. The rural/urban balance that Woolwich has achieved to
date is a defining characteristic of the Township and part of its appeal as a place to visit, a
place to live and a place to do business. Therefore this unique balance should be
maintained.
2. Ensure strategic development of infrastructure and services in support of wellmanaged, responsible growth (e.g. transportation, public transit, utilities, communication
infrastructure). In addition to careful planning of its lands, policies and other planning
guidelines, Woolwich must ensure that it is has suitable transportation infrastructure for

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moving and connecting goods and people via roads, public transit, rail, walking, cycling and
horse & buggy. Infrastructure and services that support community prosperity and high
quality lifestyles is also key and includes arts, entertainment, cultural and recreational
facilities and programs. Without high quality amenities such as these, and high quality hard
infrastructure, whether it is water, sewer, transportation, public transit or hydro, businesses
will not be attracted to locate in Woolwich and existing businesses may choose to re-locate.
It will also be unappealing for existing residents and have a negative impact on attracting
new residents and new talent that can initiate new businesses or help existing businesses
prosper.
3. Build awareness and support for existing businesses and support and develop
entrepreneurism. In most communities and regions a very large proportion of economic
development results from the expansion and diversification of existing businesses and
enterprises, so it is critical that Woolwich look at what it can do to retain existing businesses
and help them to expand, diversify and prosper. It is also important to support the strong
entrepreneurial culture that exists within Woolwich, which has a very high rate of selfemployment, in part because of the strong agricultural base and the entrepreneurial spirit of
its rural community.
4. Develop and implement effective tools and programs to communicate, support and
develop the local community economy within Woolwich and beyond. To attract new
businesses and new talent to Woolwich in all sectors, the Township must strive to enhance
its awareness, image and identity in the broader business development marketplace. The
Township works with Canadas Technology Triangle (CTT) in this regard, but needs to
ensure that within Waterloo Region it is projecting a strong, positive image and providing the
right type of information and facilitation to prospective businesses and investors.
During the consultations with businesses while preparing this Economic Development Plan,
the issue of communications among businesses within Woolwich was noted on a number of
occasions.
Since the Township established its Economic Development function and hired its Economic
Development and Tourism Officer, considerable progress has been made in this regard with
the initial development of a Business Directory for the Township and outreach to Woolwichs
businesses, including this consultation process.
There are a number of strategic initiatives that can be undertaken to further enhance the
communications among businesses within Woolwich and between the business community
and the Township.
5. Support the current and potential labour force in Woolwich. A major concern raised in
the sectoral focus group discussions that is also evident in reviewing the demographic data,
is the out-migration of youth from Woolwich and, conversely, an apparent lack of ability to
attract youth to the area. We live in an age where the labour force is extremely mobile and it
is essential to provide the services and amenities that the labour force for different types of
sectors and industries is attracted to. Community amenities such as arts, cultural and
recreational facilities can be a strong drawing card, along with the availability of a broad

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range of local and regional restaurants, retail services and personal services. Woolwichs
close proximity to Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge enables it to offer the best of both
worlds, providing a small town more rural oriented lifestyle with nearby big city shopping and
amenities.
6. Continue to develop positive partnerships and relationships in support of the local
community economy. During the course of the research and consultation for this project,
the importance of effective partnering and communications with the business community,
along with other tourism and economic development organizations within the region was
emphasized. The external marketing and promotion of Woolwich for visitors and business
activity needs to dovetail with the activities of the Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing
Corporation and Canadas Technology Triangle, which have the mandates for regional
marketing. To ensure that Woolwich gets the most out of its stake in each of these
organizations, ongoing liaison and communications is essential. There are other regional
organizations such as the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, the Ontario Small
Businesses Centre, and Waterloo-Wellington Community Futures that play important roles
related to economic development, so Woolwich needs to stay well-connected with their
initiatives and activities.
7. Maintain Effective and Timely Program Development, Management, Implementation,
and Evaluation. In order for economic development services to be effectively delivered by
the Township and its partners, it is essential that appropriate program development,
management, implementation and evaluation capabilities are in place within the
municipality. This Economic Development Plan will be the key frame of reference and
provide overall direction for economic development activities and initiatives for the next
several years. In order to effectively implement the Plan, it is essential that the Township of
Woolwichs staff is able to keep abreast of trends and activities in business and economic
development and network effectively with the business community and other partners in the
process. Ensuring a customer service focus is another important principle to adhere to,
ensuring that there are timely responses to enquiries and follow-up on key issues.
This requires ongoing maintenance of appropriate data, information and measures of the
current economy and the impacts of the various economic development initiatives and
activities. It is essential that staff maintain the expertise to effectively evaluate sectorspecific opportunities, working again with partners and stakeholders. Many development
proposals of all types will be presented to the Township and the role of economic
development staff is to be able to provide directly, or with the assistance of outside
professionals, the appropriate advice to Council in relation to the impacts of any initiative on
Woolwichs economy.
Sector Specific Opportunities
Five additional strategic directions focus on developing opportunities that are specific to five
core sectoral components of the economy that are economic drivers.
1. Maintain and enhance the strong base of agriculture and rural businesses. In spite of
being adjacent to a rapidly growing urban area and in close proximity to the Greater Toronto
Area megalopolis, Woolwich has retained its strong agricultural base and related agri-

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businesses and other rural businesses. This is a tremendous strength that should be further
developed and Woolwich is well-positioned to take advantage of a number of niche
opportunities.
2. Support and enhance the manufacturing base with an emphasis on 1. advanced
manufacturing; and, 2. manufacturing and technology focused on sustainability
principles. There are relatively few municipalities in Ontario that can boast both a strong
agricultural base and a strong diversified manufacturing base. Woolwich has had strong
success with both sectors and because of its strategic location in booming Waterloo Region
and close to the GTA, it has been and can continue to take advantage of opportunities in
advanced manufacturing and renewable energy industries.
3. Embrace, encourage, and support the development of the Knowledge-based/High
Tech sector in Woolwich. In 2009 the Ontario Government released its report Ontario in
the Creative Age, which provides recommendations on how to ensure that Ontarios
economy and citizens remain globally competitive and prosperous. The report emphasized
the growing importance of specific sectors of the economy encompassing a broad range of
industries and businesses ranging from high-tech and professional, technical and scientific
services to arts and culture, design, education and research and development. These
industries have a very strong presence in Waterloo Region and the GTA, so Woolwich is
well-located to further develop its share of this growing component of the provinces
economy. This will provide a greater diversity of opportunities for the younger population,
along with higher incomes and quality of life.
This economic sector is primarily made up of knowledge-based and high tech businesses
and Woolwichs high quality of life / quality of place is well-suited to attracting the talent
needed to sustain these enterprises. In April 2010, four ministries of the Ontario
Government presented a strong position on the Creative Economy the Ministries of
Economic Development and Trade, Research and Innovation, Tourism and Culture, and
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Woolwich will benefit from aligning a segment of its
Economic Development Plan with the creative component of the economy, which is clearly a
strong provincial priority.
4. Build on Woolwichs Tourism, Recreation, Arts and Cultural Assets, Programs, and
Initiatives. Woolwich has a strong tourism sector which is based on its tourism/recreation
and arts and cultural assets. Strategies need to be developed that are very specifically
focused on the tourism related component of the economy, leveraging off the existing
attractions, accommodations and tourism-oriented restaurants and retailing and other
services available in Woolwich. While the component businesses are part of the Creative
Economy, this set of strategies is intended to focus specifically on tourism/recreation, arts
and culture, culinary and health and wellness businesses and enterprises that have a
tourism industry focus.
5. Support a vibrant retail base, commercial space and offices in Woolwichs individual
community cores. In addition to the planning and zoning provisions for the retail base,
commercial space and offices, as well as maintaining Woolwichs distinct community
downtown cores, there are a number of other strategies that Woolwich should deploy to
strengthen this component of its economy. While much of the retail base services

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Woolwichs own population, the Township has had considerable success with retail and
commercial services that attract visitors and regional shoppers which brings new money into
the Township. Therefore, this sector makes a net positive contribution to Woolwichs
economic base, generating wealth for the local economy.
Specific Objectives and Potential Actions for Each Strategic Direction

On the following pages the recommended objectives and potential strategic actions are
presented. The strategic directions and associated objectives and potential strategic actions
have been developed through analyzing issues raised by the research, analysis and
consultations undertaken for this project.
Strategic Planning and Management of Economic Development
Strategic Direction
Objectives
1. Implement well1.1 To provide strong

managed,
economic-development
balanced,
oriented input into the
responsible growth
across the
By-law review process,
Township,
Regional growth and
supporting and
employment lands
maintaining its
strategies, and other
identity, sense of
applicable projects and
place, rural
strategies.
landscape and
distinct community
cores.
1.2 To continue protection of
agricultural lands.
1. Ensure that the Woolwich Economic Development Plan

is a key point of reference throughout the scoped Official
Plan Review Process. The Economic Development &
Tourism Officer should be involved throughout this
process.
2. Township of Woolwich to continue to coordinate with and
participate in projects and strategies led by other
organizations regarding growth, employment lands, and
industrial lands to ensure consistency with Woolwichs
economic development plans.
1. Discuss agricultural requirements for the short, medium,

and long term with stakeholders on a regular basis.
1. In conjunction with the 2011 Go to Market Strategy and

1.3 To designate sufficient
employment lands for longother resources and partners, assess and analyze the
term needs.
potential for employment lands in all parts of the
Township of Woolwich. This should include a review of
the land supply, servicing status, ownership, quality, and
other factors affecting utilization.
2. Investigate the potential for employment land focused
knowledge-based industries.
1.4 To plan for and facilitate a
balance of appropriate
housing forms in each
community.
1. Ensure sufficient lands available in suitable locations for

appropriate mix of appropriate housing.
2. Plan for servicing of any potential subdivisions and infill
projects.
1.5 To plan for commercial

needs.
1. Conduct a Commercial Needs study to determine current

and future needs for commercial development.
2. Complete Secondary Plans for Breslau and The
Stockyards

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Strategic Direction
Objectives
1.6 To continue planning for

1. Through partnerships with organizations (including
the health and uniqueness
Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, CFDC, OMAFRA,
of community cores and
WRTMC, Elmira Business Improvement Area (BIA)) and
implement strategies and
funding opportunities, develop and implement
actions, as appropriate and
appropriate initiatives, strategies and projects.
feasible, that will help to
minimize displacement of
2. The Economic Development & Tourism Officer will
uses out of the community
provide support and expertise to any Business
cores.
Improvement Area (BIA) and/or business-oriented
organization in Woolwich.
3. Review Elmira Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to
assess opportunities.
4. Implement projects designed to investigate and
communicate sense of place and identity to develop
uniqueness of community core areas (e.g. Photograph
Study).
5. Review and communicate applicable By-laws and
processes related to core areas to ensure that existing
and new property owners and business owners are
informed.
6. Review and communicate Public Parking infrastructure,
By-laws, processes, and contact information to business
owners and property owners with an emphasis on the
relationship between parking and perception of the
health of an area.
7. Communicate through various media that the Township
values the distinct community core areas.
8. Coordinate and implement seminars, workshops, and/or
training sessions on issues raised by core area
businesses.
9. Support the retention of viable and strong residential
neighbourhoods around the community core areas.
10. Encourage and facilitate the development of
pedestrian-oriented and human scale development and
redevelopment.
1.7 To implement the scoped
By-law review process.
1. Commence implementation of the scoped Official Plan

Review process once the Economic Development Plan is
completed and adopted by Council.
2. Incorporate recommendations and objectives from the
Economic Development Plan into the scoped Official
Plan Review Process.
3. Involve the Economic Development & Tourism Officer in
the scoped Official Plan Review process.

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Strategic Direction
Objectives
1.8 To support and encourage

infill development and reuse of existing buildings
and sites (including
brownfields).
1. Continue to support and participate on Waterloo

Regions Brownfields Committee.
2. Continue to develop a Township of Woolwich
Brownfields Community Improvement Plan through the
Regions Pilot Project Funding in partnership with North
Dumfries, Wellesley, and Wilmot Townships.
1.9 To facilitate and support

1. Conduct a facilitated discussion / working session with
specific uses, businesses,
stakeholders and organizations to generate a list of the
industry, and/or investment
uses, businesses, industry, and investment desired for
for the Township.
Woolwich, and an action plan for moving forward.
2. Be proactive in facilitating relationships regarding new
businesses, new investment, and new development.
1.10 To protect and enhance
1. Consider establishing a Heritage Advisory Committee.
the heritage and historic 2. Compile an inventory of heritage
attributes of the Township
buildings/properties/assets.
and ensure
3.
Explore historical designations, design guidelines for
redevelopment and
heritage buildings, and develop appropriate Official Plan
activities do not detract
Policies.
from it.
2. Ensure strategic
2.1 To support upgrading and 1. Undertake a detailed review of the Townships road
development of
connection of roads,
transportation requirements for the medium and longer
infrastructure in
sidewalks, walkways,
term. This should include consideration of the following
support of wellcycling routes, buggy
issues that have been raised during the Economic
managed and
routes, highway
Development Planning Process:
responsible growth
infrastructure to safely and
Additional paved shoulders or bike and horse and
(e.g. transportation,
efficiently facilitate the
buggy lanes along major routes, similar to the wide
utilities).
movement of people and
paved shoulder along Highway 85 between St. Jacobs
goods.
and Elmira
Additional cycling/buggy routes/trails and
sidewalks/walkways, where needed
Review of truck movements through the principal
communities
Principal road and highway widening requirements
that may be needed in the future.
2.2 To work with the Region
1. Work proactively with the Region to identify
and other appropriate
improvements required to roads/highways under regional
organizations to research
jurisdiction. This would include interfacing effectively
and develop innovative
with the region in connection with any regional
design standards for
transportation planning initiatives and lobbying for
streets and associated
improvements within Woolwich, as required.
infrastructure that support
and encourage main street
styles of development.
2.3 To continue support for the 1. Discuss bus routes and times on a regular basis with the
development and
Region, partners, and stakeholders to ensure that it is
enhancement of public
meeting the needs of the Woolwich community.
transit infrastructure and
options.
2. Obtain updated statistics on Grand River Transit (GRT)
ridership in Woolwich on a quarterly basis and report to
Senior Management and Council.
2.4 To assess potential for rail 1. Discuss the Tourist Train with Waterloo Region and City

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Strategic Direction
Objectives
service (tourism and

freight).
2.5 To facilitate orderly

development (including
expansion) of key utilities
and services as required
including: water, sewer,
electricity, and
communications.
of Waterloo.
2. Discuss rail freight needs and feasibility with the Region,
area municipalities, and other stakeholders.
1. Review Townships other infrastructure components
including water, sewer, electricity and communications,
to ensure they will meet requirements of growth over
next 10 to 15 years. These services need to be looked
at particularly in relation to any additional industrial lands
that may be designated as part of the Official Plan
Review Process. Full water and sewer services will be
particularly important for the retention and attraction of
larger operations such as food processing facilities.
2.6 Continue support of and

1. Township should liaise with the Airport on an ongoing
coordination with Waterloo
basis and participate actively in their planning processes.
Region International
Airport.
2. Keep up to date on all airport related developments onsite and on adjacent lands.
3. Incorporate information about the Airport in appropriate
marketing and communication material / initiatives.
2.7 Continue to develop and
1. Maintain support for Township of Woolwich visitor
support development and
services.
maintenance of Recreation
and Tourism infrastructure.
3. Build awareness
3.1 To maintain a strong,
and support for
systematic Business
local businesses
Retention & Expansion
and strengthen and
Program to connect and
support
strengthen businesses.
entrepreneurism.
1. Continue implementation of Business Visitation Program

with Manager of Planning and report to Council on an
annual basis.
2. Continue implementation of an annual Salute to
Woolwich Businesses event, and explore partnerships
for this event.
3. In conjunction with the Office of the Mayor, continue to
develop and implement initiatives recognizing Woolwich
business successes and initiative (e.g. Certificates of
Appreciation).
4. Continue to develop positive and strong relationships
with the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, Waterloo
Region Small Business Centre (SBC), and other
business support organizations to ensure appropriate
and effective support for Woolwich businesses (e.g.
training, information).
Centre coordinate with the Economic Development &
Tourism Officer to develop customized resources for
Woolwich businesses and entrepreneurs.
Centre provide one-on-one business counselling

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Strategic Direction
Objectives

services at least six times per year in Woolwich.
Centre maintain the information kiosk in the Township of
Woolwich Administration Building.
3.2 To support, encourage,

and facilitate
entrepreneurialism.
1. Work with partners and organizations to implement and

develop targeted workshops, programs, and other
education and resources geared to entrepreneurs (e.g.
The Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, CFDC).
2. Recognize and communicate Woolwich entrepreneurs in
appropriate media and at events (e.g. Salute to
Woolwich Businesses).
3. Develop communication tools for new businesses and/or
prospective business owners to illustrate that Woolwich
is supportive of entrepreneurs (e.g. website, Facebook,
workshop).
4. Investigate the potential of developing an incubator to
assist start-up businesses / entrepreneurs.
4. Develop and
4.1 To ensure that Woolwichs 1. Work with partners, staff, and stakeholders to fine-tune
implement effective
economic development core values.
tools and programs
vision, identity, and core
to communicate,
values reflect the strengths 2. In partnership with other organizations and stakeholders,
support and
and aspirations of the
work on development of an images bank.
develop the local
community, and are clearly
community
defined and
3. In partnership with Senior Management and Council,
economy within
communicated.
discuss developing a new wordmark / logo for the
Woolwich and
Township of Woolwich.
beyond.
4. In partnership with other departments, develop a
communications strategy for economic development in
Woolwich.
5. In all communications material, ensure that Woolwichs
identity, opportunities and other facts are clearly
projected.
6. Increase the visibility and awareness of the assets and
opportunities in Woolwich Township.
4.2 To work with stakeholders 1. Economic Development and Tourism Officer to deliver
and partners to ensure that
signage presentation to Township Council for the
effective signage and a
purpose of obtaining support for enhanced signage
public-sector signage
initiatives.
program are developed
and implemented
throughout the Township.
4.3 To maintain a website
1. Further develop the Economic Development component
presence with accurate
of the Townships website. The Township has an easyand useful information.
to-navigate website which has an attractive and
professional look. Economic Development is a distinct

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Strategic Direction
Objectives

segment of the website and web surfers can easily spot
the tab. What is needed is further development of the
different pages for this component of the website.
Comprehensive information is available in the
Community Profile and the Vacant Industrial Land
Inventory which can be put on the website, as well as
adding the following: key opportunities for businesses;
targeted sectors; current economic drivers and key
clusters; Woolwichs competitive advantages; other key
attributes that would encourage business development
within Woolwich or Business and Investment Attraction to
it.
1. Develop a guide to business in Woolwich outlining
processes, required resources, and contacts.
4.4 To connect with investors,

visitors, and the
marketplace to ensure that
the right information and
2. Coordinate with other area municipalities, stakeholders,
support materials are
and partner organizations to obtain information.
available.
5. Support the current 5.1 To be proactive in helping 1. Work with partners, organizations, and stakeholders to
and potential
to retain youth and attract
explore opportunities for youth.
labour force in
labour in the prime working
Woolwich
age group.
2. Work with local schools, churches, the WCS, and other
Township to retain,
partners to conduct regular focus groups with youth to
attract, and
assess their needs (skills, amenities, education, etc.).
develop talent and
a strong work
3. Support and encourage the type(s) and form(s) of
ethic.
development and amenities that attracts and retains
talent.
6. Continue to
6.1 To be proactive in
develop positive
partnering with the
partnerships and
business community and
relationships in
other relevant
support of the local
organizations within
community
Woolwich and the Region.
economy.
7. Maintain Effective
and Timely
Program
Development,
Management &
Implementation,
and Evaluation
7.1 To implement the

Woolwich Economic
Development Plan
effectively.
1. Participate in and/or assist with coordinating regular

meetings with municipal staff regarding economic
development issues and trends.
2. Coordinate at least one (1) Greater KW Chamber of
Commerce Board Meeting in Woolwich per year.
3. Continue to support the development of a Woolwich
Chapter of the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce.
1. Township of Woolwich Staff should maintain their
expertise at a high level by taking appropriate training,
attending appropriate workshops, seminars,
conferences, and engaging in research and education to
maintain an awareness of trends, opportunities, and
current studies.
2. Review the Plan and status of Objectives and Actions at
least once per year and report to Senior Management
and Council.
3. Evaluate progress against measurable / benchmarks
(Metrics).
4. Consider forming Stakeholder Committees/Task
Forces/Project Teams on an as-needed basis to guide
projects.

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Strategic Direction
Objectives
7.2 To ensure that data and

information used in
reporting and decisionmaking is current and
correct.
1. Develop a list of key indicators and data sources and

share among departments.
7.3 To evaluate sector-specific 1. Participate in regional discussions in relation to business

opportunities in partnership
and economic development opportunities that may affect
with stakeholders and
Woolwich.
appropriate organizations
on an ongoing basis.
2. Review potential opportunities in task forces or as project
teams.
Developing Sector Specific Opportunities
Objectives
1. Maintain and
1.1 To maintain the existing
enhance the strong
strong policy framework that
base of agriculture
protects agricultural land.
and rural
businesses.
development and
enhancement of rural
enterprises within an
appropriate policy
framework.
and partners to develop
niche opportunities for
agricultural products.
1. Conduct a regular review of policy framework and

associated implementation framework to assess whether
changes are required.
1. Work with partners and stakeholders to maintain an

understanding of agricultural and rural businesses.
2. Communicate policies and guidelines to producers and
stakeholders to ensure understanding and avoid
potential conflict.
1. Investigate organic agriculture and agri-business in
Woolwich to assess viability and practicality of a niche
market.
2. Conducted scoped research on organic agriculture and
agri-business to establish an understanding and best
practices.
3. Work with partners and stakeholders to conduct a
collaborative session to discuss what Woolwichs core
and supporting agricultural products are and how to best
develop and communicate them.
4. Work with producers and stakeholders to link producers
with stores and restaurants to raise the profile of local
products in local restaurants.

and partners to capture
synergies of agricultural
production and marketing

1. Continue working with stakeholders and partners to

communicate local food opportunities and benefits
through a variety of media.
- 78 -
Objectives
with agri-tourism and

culinary tourism.
2. Work with stakeholders and partners including WRTMC,

St. Jacobs Country, and Foodlink to strengthen, develop,
and communicate agri-tourism product and packages in
Woolwich.
3. Work with stakeholders and partners to develop an
appropriate design for farm gate sales locations.
4. Work with partners including Foodlink Waterloo Region,
area municipalities, stakeholders, and WRTMC to
develop and implement a regional culinary tourism
strategy.
5. Work with Township Staff to encourage incorporating

local food at municipal events.
1.5 To support youth programs, 1. Develop relationship with local schools and link-up
interested students with farmers and agri-business
proprietors to generate interest and enthusiasm among
youth.
the Agricultural and Rural
Business sectors.
2. Provide tours of agricultural operations and agribusinesses to school groups to help encourage interest
in the sector among youth.
2. Support and
enhance the
and partners to support and
manufacturing
attract advanced and
base with an
sustainable manufacturing
emphasis on: 1.
businesses.
advanced
manufacturing;
and, 2.
manufacturing and
technology
focused on
sustainability
principles.
2.2 To ensure appropriate
planning for the location of
future industries.
1. Continue participation and communication with CTT,

EDCO, area municipalities, Greater KW Chamber of
Commerce, Communitech, Prosperity Council, and local
businesses to explore opportunities and keep up to date
on requirements and needs.
1. Work with stakeholders and partners regarding available

land for small-, medium-, and large-scale manufacturing
and distribution operations.
2. To coordinate with the Region, area municipalities,
applicable utilities, businesses, and other stakeholders
on a regular basis to maintain a clear understanding of
the contextual issues around locating advanced and
sustainably-focused manufacturing in Woolwich (e.g.
compatibility with other Township goals, impacts on
water and sewage capacity).
2.3 To support youth programs, 1. Develop relationship between manufacturing businesses

and high schools and post-secondary institutions.
the Knowledge-based
sector.

- 79 -
Objectives
2.4 To work with partners,

1. Maintain membership with the Waterloo Manufacturing
stakeholders, and
Innovation Network (MIN).
organizations to develop an
understanding of
employment issues to
determine how the Township
can assist.
3. Embrace,
3.1 To identify and implement
1. Prepare inventory of existing knowledge-based
encourage, and
networking opportunities for
businesses in Woolwich by NAICS codes and facilitate
support the
businesses and enterprises
networking of similar businesses. Important groupings of
development of the
in the Knowledge-based/
creative businesses and enterprises would include many
KnowledgeHigh Tech sector.
types of information technology businesses such as
based/High Tech
computer software, gaming, communications technology
Sector in Woolwich
development, education, research and development,
engineering, planning, design and consulting companies,
performing arts and entertainment companies, print and
electronic publishing, visual arts/graphic design, and
certain aspects of health care. Being able to network
similar types of businesses results in cross-fertilization
among entrepreneurs and leads to further development
and expansion.
3.2 To partner on initiatives and 1. Work with the Region and business community to identify
projects related to the
and partner on appropriate projects and initiatives.
Knowledge-based/High
Tech sector to clearly
understand the intra- and
inter-urban factors impacting
the decisions to locate in a
specific location.
3.3 To seek out opportunities for 1. Work in partnership with area municipalities and
Knowledge-based/ High
organizations to develop a Talent Attraction and
Tech businesses to locate in
Retention Strategy to help encourage location of
Woolwich.
knowledge-based/high tech businesses in Woolwich.
Talent attraction and retention is critical. Efforts at
downtown improvements and revitalization, urban
design, and development of cultural and recreational
amenities should be undertaken, as these are quality of
life factors important for talent attraction. Consideration
needs to be given to any gaps in lifestyle amenities, and
gaps that are adversely impacting talent attraction need
to be addressed.
3.4 To support youth programs, 1. Undertake proactive initiatives for attracting and retaining
labour in the prime working age group (ages 25-44).
Woolwich Townships labour force is under-represented
by this segment compared to Waterloo Region and
the Knowledge-based/ High
Ontario overall accounting for about 25% of the labour,
Tech sector.
compared to about 30% and 28% respectively. The
Economic Development office should liaise with
local/regional Labour Boards to address this issue. This
prime working age group makes up the majority of the
labour force for many knowledge-based businesses,
especially in the information technology sector.
4. Build on
4.1 To encourage policies and
1. Build this into Official Plan Policies and develop heritage
Woolwichs
guidelines that will support
preservation guidelines.
Tourism &
the heritage tourism assets,

- 80 -
Objectives
Recreation and
Arts & Cultural
Assets, Programs,
and Initiatives
amenities, and potential in

Woolwich.
4.2 To identify and facilitate

1. Continue working with the Waterloo Region International
suitable development of
Airport to coordinate marketing and communication
public amenities,
initiatives including but not limited to: posting airport
infrastructure, and assets
information on the Townships website; adding an
with tourism/recreational and
airplane icon to appropriate marketing and
arts/culture potential.
communication material; and, inviting the Airport to the
annual Salute to Woolwich Businesses event.
2. Investigate the potential of installing a permanent power
supply in Riverside Meadows Park for public events (e.g.
Taste Local! Taste Fresh!).
3. Continue to support the Woolwich Cycling Group to
develop and communicate cycling routes within the
Township.
4. In partnership with WRTMC and other stakeholders,
conduct a scoped demand-generator workshop to asset
core generators, supporting generators, and amenities.
1. Ensure that Official Plan and Zoning By-law provides
adequate lands for tourist accommodation facilities,
restaurants and tourist-oriented retail in Woolwichs
various communities. Any such land use designations
need to be made with careful consideration of the
amenity value of particular sites. For example, tourist
oriented accommodations and related facilities work well
in close proximity to heritage downtowns, major shopping
districts, and scenic settings such as riverfronts or
waterfronts. The Township should endeavour to
maximize its potential for such facilities as part of its
Official Plan process.

and Zoning Law By-laws
adequately provide for
tourism/recreation and
arts/culture uses.
4.4 To proactively develop

synergies with the
agricultural sector and retail
& food service businesses
with a focus on agri-tourism
and culinary tourism.
1. Work with regional partners to prepare and implement a

regional culinary tourism strategy. This should embrace
the Townships restaurants and food service businesses,
along with specialty food retailers and the agricultural
sector. Participants in the program can be identified on
maps, in brochures and on appropriate websites.
4.5 To better leverage the

potential of existing tourism
marketing and promotional
initiatives and resources.
1. Work closely with appropriate tourism marketing partners

to enhance the marketing and promotion of Woolwichs
tourism attractions, facilities and services. Tourism
destination marketing for the region is handled by the
Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporation.
Woolwich is a partner in this organization and its
attractions and attributes are promoted by the
organization. It is important to ensure on an ongoing
basis that the Township is well-represented in all of
WRTMCs marketing and promotional materials including
its website.

- 81 -
5. Support a Vibrant
Retail Base in
Woolwichs
Individual
Community Cores
Objectives
4.6 To incorporate art wherever

possible.
4.7 To support local festivals,
events, artists, and related
organizations.
1. Continue the Woolwich Local Art Program.

policies and Zoning By-law
support a vibrant retail base
in each community core.
1. Ensure this is accommodated in Scoped Official Plan

Review.

upgrading and beautifying
the appearance of the
community cores.
1. Research strategies and best practices for core area

health and vitality.

1. Continue working with WRTMC to communicate

Woolwich festivals, events, artists on the WRTMC
website and any other appropriate communications
material.
2. Continue to liaise with local organizations and groups to
ensure their representation on the Woolwich website and
in other communication material.
2. Investigate potential of faade programs, building

revitalization programs, and other programs designed to
improve the appearance and function of a building.
- 82 -
7 Implementation Guidelines and Conclusion

This section of the Report provides some additional guidelines regarding implementation of the
Woolwich Economic Development Plan. In the strategic actions of the preceding chapter
numerous activities are recommended, many of which need to proceed in the short term. In this
chapter we also discuss how the monitoring and evaluation of the progress of implementing the
Economic Development Plan could be undertaken. There is clearly a range of measures or
metrics that need to be tracked in order to effectively monitor progress.
Short Term Action Plan

The consulting team recommends that staff develop a Short Term Action Plan to initiate
implementation of the Plan during the next two years, including but not limited to the following
items:
1. Adopt Woolwich Economic Development Plan in principle
2. Distribute the Plan to key partners involved in local economic development
3. Form an Economic Development Ad Hoc Committee (EDC) to assist with developing the
Short-Term Action Plan including priorities and how the items should be implemented. This
item should be completed by September 2011.
4. Seek funding support for short term initiatives in 2012 through the Townships budget
process.
5. Provide Economic Development input in to the Scoped Official Plan Review process.
6. Review and revise the Economic and Tourism information on the Townships website.
7. Continue to implement the Business Visitation Program (BVP)
8. Continue to develop the Business Retention and Expansion Program.
9. Develop and implement appropriate communications tools for supporting economic
development (e.g. newsletter, networking sessions)
Monitoring and evaluation of years 1 and 2 of implementation of the Woolwich Economic
Development Plan is also an important item.
Monitoring and Evaluation of Progress

It can be difficult to measure the results of economic development activities in the short-term as
many initiatives will be implemented over multiple years, although in the longer term it is
possible to track the impacts more specifically. For example, over a period of several years, it is
possible to track the impacts in terms of new businesses created or expanded and jobs created
or retained.
Implementation Guidelines and Conclusion
- 83 -
There are four categories of indicators you can measure to track the progress of economic
development in Woolwich:
Progress against an Annual Work Plan prepared prior to the beginning of each fiscal year;
The economic development initiatives and activities undertaken;
Participation in economic development initiatives by the Townships partners; and
Actual results of the economic development activities that are reflected in various measures
of business and the economy.
Progress Measured Against Annual Work Plan

The Economic Development and Tourism Officer should prepare an Annual Work Plan outlining
the specific economic development initiatives and activities to be undertaken, when they will
occur, what partners and stakeholders will be involved, and the staffing and financial
requirements and sources. It is then possible at the end of the fiscal year to itemize the
progress made in relation to each proposed activity and any initial results associated with
activities that have been completed.
Metrics for Tracking the Townships Economic Development Activities
It is particularly important to communicate ongoing economic development activities, progress
towards goals and objectives, and specific achievements and successes on a regular basis.
Therefore we recommend that the following ongoing measurements of ongoing economic
development related activities be undertaken:
Number of leads generated from business and economic development activities;
Number of enquiries by phone, fax and e-mail handled by economic development staff,
other Township staff and contractors, in relation to business and economic development;
The specific economic development related conferences, trade shows and networking
events spearheaded or attended by Township staff and/or Councillors should be tracked,
along with the leads/contacts generated from each;
Number of economic and business development projects by type that the economic
development office is involved in each year; and
Number of press releases issued, businesses visited under the Business Visitation Program,
and prospective investors hosted on an annual basis.
Measuring Participation in Economic Development Initiatives

Another way of measuring of economic development progress relates to participation in the
various economic development marketing and promotional initiatives such as:
Number of stakeholders involved in economic development marketing and promotional

activities;
- 84 -
Total value of contributions to the various partnership programs and activities operated by
the Economic Development Office; and
In-kind contributions made to the economic development effort by various partners, such as
through sponsorships of events and activities.
Metrics for Measuring the Results of Economic Development Activities

Another area of measurement relates to the actual results of economic development activities,
which include the following:
Completed economic development initiatives and projects;
Number of new business start-ups in Woolwich;
Number of new jobs created or retained in Woolwich;
Number of business retained in Woolwich;
Growth in the value of commercial/industrial building permits;
Growth in overall employment and employment by sector (longer term measurement); and
Changes in average income levels (longer term measurement).
The majority of these measurements can be systematically measured by the Economic

Development Office in an inexpensive way, once the appropriate system is put in place. Staff
and partners need to be appropriately briefed on the importance of maintaining good
measurements of both activity and actual economic development progress.
Conclusion
Woolwich currently has a successful, high performance economy that many municipalities strive
for, as its economic base is very diversified, with a strong manufacturing sector (many
communities do not have this), an innovative and highly productive agricultural sector close to a
major metropolitan area (a very rare attribute), a full range of retailing and services with vibrant
community downtown cores, and a well-established tourism industry.
The recommendations of this Economic Development Strategic Plan have been designed to
leverage Woolwichs existing assets and facilitate economic development and growth that is
balanced and responsible, recognize the communitys aspirations, and provide input and
strategic direction for ongoing land use planning and infrastructure development processes.
Implementation of this Plans recommendations will lead Woolwich in the following directions
and over the long term will enable the Township to achieve the community economic
development vision developed through this process.
The Townships strong agricultural base and attractive rural landscapes will be maintained,
with a continued focus on preserving agricultural lands and facilitating opportunities for
innovation and value added products.
- 85 -
Woolwichs designated Urban Growth Centres (Elmira and St. Jacobs) will be the key areas
where growth and development will be focused, along with the Breslau areas designated
commercial/industrial lands near the Waterloo Region International Airport and the proposed
GO Transit Rail station.
Woolwichs distinct communities will retain their character and identity and each community
core will be strengthened and diversified.
The vitality of the manufacturing sector will be maintained with a renewed focus on
advanced manufacturing, along with manufacturing and technology businesses focused on
sustainability principles.
Woolwich will leverage its location adjacent to North Waterloos booming and internationally
significant high-tech sector by making available office locations for knowledge-based high
tech businesses in suitable areas such as the Stockyards and designating suitable lands for
expansion of the high-tech manufacturing sector, possible in south Woolwich. This will
require an extensive consultation process and coordination with ongoing Regional planning
processes.
There will be proactive support for existing businesses and encouraging entrepreneurs, wellcoordinated with provincial and regional partners.
The Township will also partner effectively to attract entrepreneurs and investment, and will
develop and implement a successful program for retaining and attracting youth, as well as
the prime working age cohort.
The tourism industry in Woolwich will continue to grow through the development of new
attractions, events and packages, along with development of additional accommodations
and supporting infrastructure including incremental trails development and implementation
of a cohesive signage system. It will also more effectively leverage the presence of
Waterloo Region International Airport, which is a significant asset for tourism and other
sectors.
The Township will develop and adopt a dynamic, forward looking brand that will strengthen
its image and identity as a place to live and do business, to enhance its ability to draw
creative talent, entrepreneurs and businesses from within and outside the region.
All of the preceding will be achieved via a proactive, consultative, and responsive economic
development management process with a customer oriented focus.
- 86 -
Appendix A Jobs in Woolwich by Sub-Sector
A-1
Appendix A: Jobs at Fixed Places of Employment in Woolwich Twp. by Sub-sector, NAICS 1100-3121
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
18.2%
11.7%
6.1%
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
Sector (NAICS)
2001
2006
All industries
Agriculture, forestry, fishing
11
and hunting
1110
Farms (1111 to 1129)
1131
Timber tract operations
Forest nurseries and gathering
1132
of forest products
1133
Logging
1141
Fishing
1142
Hunting and trapping
Support activities for farms
1150
(1151 to 1152)
1153
Support activities for forestry
Mining and oil and gas
21
extraction
2111
Oil and gas extraction
2121
Coal mining
2122
Metal ore mining
2123
Non-metallic mineral mining
and quarrying
2131
Support activities for mining
and oil and gas extraction
2199
Mining - unspecified
22
Utilities
2211
Electric power generation,
transmission and distribution
2212
Natural gas distribution
2213
Water, sewage and other
systems
23
Construction
2300
Construction
31-33 Manufacturing
3111
3112
Grain and oilseed milling
3113
Sugar and confectionery
product manufacturing
3114
Fruit and vegetable preserving
and specialty food
manufacturing
3115
Dairy product manufacturing
3116
3117
Seafood product preparation
and packaging
3118
Bakeries and tortilla
manufacturing
3119
Other food manufacturing
3121
Beverage manufacturing
10,360
12,245
1,885
1,060
1,125
65
9.19%
6.1%
-0.9%
-9.2%
5.1
1,030
0
1,070
0
40
0
8.74%
0.00%
3.9%
-
-5.2%
-
-10.3%
-59.3%
5.4
0.0
0.00%
45.1%
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
750.0%
-
-2.0%
12.4%
-47.2%
0.0
0.0
0.0
25
50
25
0.41%
100.0%
18.2%
24.5%
8.5
0.00%
-7.0%
0.0
0.00%
15.6%
18.0%
0.0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0.00%
0.00%
0.00%
-33.3%
-100.0%
352.6%
380.0%
0.6%
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.00%
-3.6%
-2.8%
0.0
10
10
0.08%
67.8%
1.2
0
15
0
10
0
-5
0.00%
0.08%
-33.3%
43.5%
7.9%
4.6%
0.0
0.1
0.00%
42.7%
1.4%
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
6.3%
10.7%
0.0
0.00%
76.5%
18.0%
0.0
725
715
2,150
280
0
790
770
2,830
180
0
65
55
680
-100
0
6.45%
6.29%
23.11%
1.47%
0.00%
9.0%
7.7%
31.6%
-35.7%
-
14.4%
14.5%
-1.3%
-27.6%
7.1%
8.1%
8.2%
-9.2%
-12.6%
-33.5%
2.0
2.0
1.6
25.1
0.0
15
-15
0.00%
-100.0%
-56.3%
1.7%
0.0
25
-25
0.00%
-100.0%
-5.6%
-0.6%
0.0
0
60
0
325
0
265
0.00%
2.65%
441.7%
-61.1%
41.2%
-2.2%
10.1%
0.0
7.5
0.00%
14.6%
0.0
40
50
10
0.41%
25.0%
0.9%
0.2%
1.2
10
15
15
10
5
-5
0.12%
0.08%
50.0%
-33.3%
4.8%
66.7%
4.8%
-5.1%
0.7
0.4
Change
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
A-2
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
3122 Tobacco manufacturing
3131 Fibre, yarn and thread mills
3132 Fabric mills
Textile and fabric finishing and
3133
fabric coating
3141 Textile furnishings mills
3149 Other textile product mills
3151 Clothing knitting mills
Cut and sew clothing
3152
manufacturing
3159
3161
3162
3169
Clothing accessories and other

clothing manufacturing
Leather and hide tanning and
finishing
Footwear manufacturing
Other leather and allied product
manufacturing
Change
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
2001
2006
10,360
0
0
155
12,245
0
0
10
1,885
0
0
-145
0.00%
0.00%
0.08%
18.2%
-93.5%
11.7%
-100.0%
10.0%
-60.5%
6.1%
-24.9%
-6.4%
-24.7%
0.0
0.0
1.8
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-62.5%
-28.3%
0.0
10
15
0
10
15
0
0
0
0
0.08%
0.12%
0.00%
0.0%
0.0%
-
4.0%
-16.7%
-95.0%
-16.8%
-10.5%
-50.4%
1.6
1.7
0.0
10
35
25
0.29%
250.0%
-65.4%
-34.9%
1.1
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-55.9%
-25.0%
0.0
0.00%
25.0%
18.5%
0.0
0.00%
18.2%
-48.3%
0.0
10
10
0.08%
-73.7%
-48.8%
6.8
3211
Sawmills and wood preservation
40
40
0.33%
70.8%
-18.4%
2.5
3212
Veneer, plywood and

engineered wood product
manufacturing
0.00%
-5.0%
-6.9%
0.0
3219
Other wood product

manufacturing
55
75
20
0.61%
36.4%
8.3%
0.4%
2.4
3221
Pulp, paper and paperboard

mills
0.00%
-100.0%
-30.2%
0.0
3222
Converted paper product

manufacturing
0.00%
40.0%
-5.7%
0.0
3231
Printing and related support

activities
85
70
-15
0.57%
-17.6%
2.7%
-5.8%
0.9
100
70
-30
0.57%
-30.0%
-6.3%
-25.6%
8.1
3241
3251
Petroleum and coal products

manufacturing
Basic chemical manufacturing
80
55
-25
0.45%
-31.3%
-25.0%
-33.1%
4.9
3252
Resin, synthetic rubber, and

artificial and synthetic fibres and
filaments manufacturing
25
-25
0.00%
-100.0%
-39.7%
-34.2%
0.0
3253
Pesticide, fertilizer and other

agricultural chemical
manufacturing
40
45
0.37%
12.5%
11.1%
-15.5%
20.4
3254
Pharmaceutical and medicine

manufacturing
0.00%
7.4%
15.6%
0.0
0.00%
-64.0%
1.0%
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
300.0%
1.5%
0.0
65
165
100
1.35%
153.8%
100.0%
-22.2%
14.2
3255
3256
3259
Paint, coating and adhesive

manufacturing
Soap, cleaning compound and
toilet preparation manufacturing
Other chemical product
manufacturing
A-3
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
3261
3262
3271
Plastic product manufacturing

Rubber product manufacturing
Clay product and refractory
manufacturing
Change
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
18.2%
11.7%
6.1%
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
2001
2006
10,360
12,245
1,885
20
10
0
0
-20
-10
0.00%
0.00%
-100.0%
-100.0%
8.4%
49.8%
1.9%
-1.3%
0.0
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-69.4%
-25.4%
0.0
3272
Glass and glass product

manufacturing
10
25
15
0.20%
150.0%
-16.7%
-19.7%
2.3
3273
Cement and concrete product

manufacturing
30
-30
0.00%
-100.0%
-7.9%
17.9%
0.0
3274
Lime and gypsum product

manufacturing
0.00%
-8.6%
0.0
3279
Other non-metallic mineral

product manufacturing
10
10
0.08%
289.5%
-6.7%
1.3
3311
Iron and steel mills and ferroalloy manufacturing
0.00%
7.8%
-19.9%
0.0
3312
Steel product manufacturing

from purchased steel
0.00%
126.1%
-7.8%
0.0
3313
Alumina and aluminum

production and processing
0.00%
-21.3%
0.0
3314
Non-ferrous metal (except

aluminum) production and
processing
0.00%
0.2%
0.0
40
70
40
10
0
-60
0.33%
0.08%
0.0%
-85.7%
1.8%
-7.2%
-15.3%
3.2%
2.1
0.7
0.00%
-8.5%
-24.9%
0.0
250
155
-95
1.27%
-38.0%
20.8%
16.6%
3.3
15
0
10
0
-5
0
0.08%
0.00%
-33.3%
-
-36.3%
-64.2%
-21.0%
-16.8%
0.9
0.0
0.00%
-53.3%
-32.4%
0.0
100
100
0.82%
-6.3%
-4.2%
2.4
0.00%
-9.8%
-7.8%
0.0
10
15
0.12%
50.0%
-18.7%
-14.3%
0.7
75
150
75
1.22%
100.0%
-3.7%
-7.3%
10.0
15
15
0.12%
-6.2%
-8.5%
1.1
20
20
0.16%
9.0%
-9.6%
1.8
3315
3321
3322
Foundries
Forging and stamping
Cutlery and hand tool
manufacturing
3323
Architectural and structural

metals manufacturing
3324
Boiler, tank and shipping

container manufacturing
3325
3326
Hardware manufacturing
Spring and wire product
manufacturing
3327
Machine shops, turned product,

and screw, nut and bolt
manufacturing
3328
Coating, engraving, heat treating

and allied activities
3329
Other fabricated metal product

manufacturing
3331
3332
3333
Agricultural, construction and

mining machinery manufacturing
Industrial machinery
manufacturing
Commercial and service industry
machinery manufacturing
A-4
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
Ventilation, heating, airconditioning and commercial
3334
refrigeration equipment
manufacturing
Metalworking machinery
3335
manufacturing
18.2%
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
11.7%
0.16%
22.7%
-2.6%
1.5
-25
0.08%
-71.4%
-23.7%
-4.2%
0.2
0.00%
20.7%
-32.8%
0.0
2001
2006
Change
10,360
12,245
1,885
20
20
35
10
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
6.1%
3336
Engine, turbine and power

transmission equipment
manufacturing
3339
Other general-purpose
machinery manufacturing
135
275
140
2.25%
103.7%
8.2%
-8.5%
8.3
3341
Computer and peripheral

equipment manufacturing
0.00%
4.1%
-50.8%
0.0
3342
Communications equipment
manufacturing
10
10
0.08%
63.2%
-23.7%
0.4
3343
Audio and video equipment

manufacturing
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
0.0%
-40.4%
0.0
3344
Semiconductor and other

electronic component
manufacturing
0.00%
28.4%
-24.4%
0.0
3345
Navigational, measuring,
medical and control instruments
manufacturing
10
35
25
0.29%
250.0%
8.7%
-0.8%
1.3
3346
Manufacturing and reproducing

magnetic and optical media
0.00%
28.6%
-4.2%
0.0
3351
Electric lighting equipment

manufacturing
0.00%
-25.0%
-31.0%
0.0
3352
Household appliance
manufacturing
10
25
15
0.20%
150.0%
-24.4%
-27.4%
3.1
3353
Electrical equipment
manufacturing
35
15
-20
0.12%
-57.1%
-13.6%
8.0%
0.7
45
45
0.37%
20.0%
-54.8%
3.2
20
10
-10
0.08%
-50.0%
44.4%
4.0%
0.1
45
70
25
0.57%
55.6%
11.6%
-5.2%
5.1
80
365
285
2.98%
356.3%
-34.2%
-6.6%
1.9
30
30
0.24%
14.8%
-11.6%
1.1
0.00%
-16.8%
0.0
3359
3361
3362
3363
3364
3365
Other electrical equipment and

component manufacturing
Motor vehicle manufacturing
Motor vehicle body and trailer
manufacturing
Motor vehicle parts
manufacturing
Aerospace product and parts
manufacturing
Railroad rolling stock
manufacturing
3366
Ship and boat building
0.00%
-4.4%
0.0
3369
Other transportation equipment

manufacturing
20
20
0.16%
95.5%
320.8%
4.5
A-5
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
3371 Household and institutional
furniture and kitchen cabinet
manufacturing
2001
2006
Change
10,360
12,245
1,885
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
18.2%
11.7%
6.1%
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
45
55
10
0.45%
22.2%
3.7%
4.3%
1.1
3372
Office furniture (including

fixtures) manufacturing
10
25
15
0.20%
150.0%
31.4%
-12.2%
0.9
3379
Other furniture-related product

manufacturing
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
45.5%
-12.1%
0.0
3391
Medical equipment and supplies

manufacturing
0.00%
57.4%
8.0%
0.0
3399
Other miscellaneous
manufacturing
41
Wholesale trade
Farm product wholesalerdistributors
25
595
55
970
30
375
0.45%
7.92%
120.0%
63.0%
-28.0%
26.6%
-19.2%
9.1%
1.2
1.6
40
10
-30
0.08%
-75.0%
-65.4%
-11.4%
1.5
0.00%
0.0%
-10.2%
0.0
25
20
-5
0.16%
-20.0%
49.3%
32.6%
0.3
4111
4131
Petroleum product wholesalerdistributors

Food wholesaler-distributors
4132
Beverage wholesaler-distributors
0.00%
4.8%
88.8%
0.0
4133
Cigarette and tobacco product

wholesaler-distributors
0.00%
-7.3%
0.0
4141
Textile, clothing and footwear

10
10
0.08%
0.0%
71.2%
16.0%
0.6
4142
Home entertainment equipment

and household appliance
0.00%
-25.0%
-0.5%
0.0
4143
Home furnishings wholesalerdistributors
10
15
0.12%
50.0%
-43.6%
-0.5%
1.4
4144
Personal goods wholesalerdistributors
10
10
0.08%
0.0%
171.4%
-2.5%
0.5
4145
Pharmaceuticals, toiletries,
cosmetics and sundries
10
10
0.08%
-2.9%
28.3%
0.3
10
10
0.08%
25.0%
3.4%
0.7
15
85
70
0.69%
466.7%
23.2%
9.5%
2.6
0.00%
120.0%
-21.1%
0.0
4121
4151
4152
4153
Motor vehicle wholesalerdistributors

New motor vehicle parts and
accessories wholesalerdistributors
Used motor vehicle parts and
accessories wholesalerdistributors
A-6
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
18.2%
11.7%
6.1%
0.16%
100.0%
41.2%
8.4%
0.6
0.00%
58.3%
10.8%
0.0
2001
2006
Change
10,360
12,245
1,885
10
20
10
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
4161
Electrical, plumbing, heating and

air-conditioning equipment and
4162
Metal service centres
4163
Lumber, millwork, hardware and

other building supplies
205
540
335
4.41%
163.4%
71.7%
12.8%
14.2
4171
Farm, lawn and garden

machinery and equipment
120
70
-50
0.57%
-41.7%
-2.3%
-10.5%
6.9
4172
Construction, forestry, mining,

and industrial machinery,
equipment and supplies
30
30
0.24%
-17.6%
4.9%
0.7
4173
Computer and communications

equipment and supplies
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
78.3%
0.9%
0.0
4179
Other machinery, equipment and

10
10
0.08%
50.0%
10.2%
0.2
4181
Recyclable material wholesalerdistributors
35
15
-20
0.12%
-57.1%
4.0%
32.8%
1.0
4182
Paper, paper product and

disposable plastic product
15
15
0.12%
3.8%
8.6%
1.1
4183
Agricultural supplies wholesalerdistributors
20
35
15
0.29%
75.0%
25.5%
13.2%
3.6
4184
Chemical (except agricultural)

and allied product wholesalerdistributors
10
10
0.08%
-10.5%
17.5%
0.8
40
15
-25
0.12%
-62.5%
-3.3%
11.6%
0.5
45
1,640
20
60
25
1,925
30
10
-20
285
10
-50
0.20%
15.72%
0.24%
0.08%
-44.4%
17.4%
50.0%
-83.3%
-4.2%
13.6%
11.7%
13.8%
-18.5%
5.6%
17.7%
17.5%
0.9
1.3
0.3
0.9
10
40
30
0.33%
300.0%
78.9%
13.7%
1.8
40
75
10
80
35
10
40
-40
0
0.65%
0.29%
0.08%
100.0%
-53.3%
0.0%
20.2%
14.4%
15.8%
19.4%
18.9%
2.8%
2.4
1.2
0.2
630
790
160
6.45%
25.4%
15.8%
22.0%
9.4
4189
4191
44-45
4411
4412
4413
4421
4422
4431
4441
Other miscellaneous wholesalerdistributors

Wholesale agents and brokers
Retail trade
Automobile dealers
Other motor vehicle dealers
Automotive parts, accessories
and tire stores
Furniture stores
Home furnishings stores
Electronics and appliance stores
Building material and supplies
dealers
A-7
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
Lawn and garden equipment
4442
and supplies stores
4451
Grocery stores
4452
Specialty food stores
4453
Beer, wine and liquor stores
4461
Health and personal care stores
4471
Gasoline stations
4481
Clothing stores
4482
Shoe stores
Jewellery, luggage and leather
4483
goods stores
4511
4512
4521
4529
4531
4532
4533
4539
4541
4542
4543
48-49
4811
4812
4821
4831
4832
4841
4842
4851
4852
4853
4854
Sporting goods, hobby and

musical instrument stores
Book, periodical and music
stores
Department stores
Other general merchandise
stores
Florists
Office supplies, stationery and
gift stores
Used merchandise stores
Other miscellaneous store
retailers
Electronic shopping and mailorder houses
Vending machine operators
Direct selling establishments
Transportation and
warehousing
Scheduled air transportation
Non-scheduled air transportation
Rail transportation
Deep-sea, coastal and great
lakes water transportation
Inland water transportation
General freight trucking
Specialized freight trucking
Urban transit systems
Interurban and rural bus
transportation
Taxi and limousine service
School and employee bus
transportation
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
18.2%
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
11.7%
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
6.1%
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
2001
10,360
2006
12,245
Change
1,885
25
25
0.20%
0.0%
-2.6%
-11.5%
2.5
170
45
15
55
20
140
70
180
85
10
70
15
135
95
10
40
-5
15
-5
-5
25
1.47%
0.69%
0.08%
0.57%
0.12%
1.10%
0.78%
5.9%
88.9%
-33.3%
27.3%
-25.0%
-3.6%
35.7%
17.2%
40.6%
-1.6%
11.1%
-7.4%
22.1%
-2.4%
5.0%
3.6%
3.3%
4.6%
-8.2%
9.5%
3.8%
0.7
2.4
0.4
0.6
0.4
1.1
4.7
35
15
-20
0.12%
-57.1%
-14.5%
5.3%
0.7
25
40
15
0.33%
60.0%
6.8%
6.2%
0.8
15
-15
0.00%
-100.0%
21.7%
-3.9%
0.0
0.00%
17.7%
6.6%
0.0
20
45
25
0.37%
125.0%
10.6%
8.1%
0.5
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
0.0%
7.3%
0.0
65
85
20
0.69%
30.8%
7.7%
-8.3%
2.2
40
45
0.37%
12.5%
22.1%
-3.2%
2.6
35
50
15
0.41%
42.9%
-1.7%
-8.8%
1.4
0.00%
18.2%
-29.2%
0.0
0
15
0
10
0
-5
0.00%
0.08%
-33.3%
-4.0%
-23.6%
-11.1%
-19.7%
0.0
0.5
415
465
50
3.80%
12.0%
11.2%
6.0%
0.9
0
20
0
0
10
0
0
-10
0
0.00%
0.08%
0.00%
-50.0%
-
50.0%
-50.0%
-23.1%
-15.3%
-29.2%
-17.8%
0.0
2.8
0.0
0.00%
-22.7%
0.0
0
75
100
0
0
60
80
0
0
-15
-20
0
0.00%
0.49%
0.65%
0.00%
-20.0%
-20.0%
-
9.8%
13.0%
14.5%
-20.5%
6.0%
7.3%
19.3%
0.0
0.6
2.2
0.0
0.00%
50.0%
-21.2%
0.0
20
20
0.16%
0.0%
-22.9%
6.8%
1.1
30
60
30
0.49%
100.0%
12.8%
6.0%
2.0
A-8
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
4855
Charter bus industry
Other transit and ground
4859
passenger transportation
4861
4862
4869
4871
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
0.00%
18.2%
-
11.7%
-
6.1%
72.7%
0.0
-5
0.08%
-33.3%
-72.0%
10.1%
3.4
0.00%
-77.3%
0.0
0.00%
15.4%
0.0
0.00%
44.4%
0.0
0.00%
-100.0%
-75.8%
0.0
2001
2006
10,360
0
12,245
0
1,885
0
15
10
Pipeline transportation of crude

oil
Pipeline transportation of natural
gas
Other pipeline transportation
Scenic and sightseeing
transportation, land
Change
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
4872

transportation, water
0.00%
13.8%
0.0
4879

transportation, other
0.00%
-80.0%
0.0
4881
Support activities for air

transportation
55
60
0.49%
9.1%
80.0%
25.6%
3.2
4882
Support activities for rail

transportation
0.00%
0.0%
58.2%
0.0
4883
Support activities for water

transportation
0.00%
25.0%
0.0
4884
Support activities for road

transportation
10
10
0.08%
-7.7%
10.7%
0.8
4885
Freight transportation
arrangement
0.00%
85.7%
35.7%
0.0
20
30
10
0.24%
50.0%
-28.6%
-9.4%
11.8
50
20
30
10
-20
-10
0.24%
0.08%
-40.0%
-50.0%
16.1%
-4.5%
4.8%
-2.6%
0.5
0.3
0.00%
-43.5%
19.8%
0.0
10
85
75
0.69%
750.0%
66.2%
10.5%
2.7
75
65
-10
0.53%
-13.3%
17.5%
-0.4%
0.2
45
35
-10
0.29%
-22.2%
12.4%
-4.5%
0.3
0.00%
37.5%
4.5%
0.0
10
10
0.08%
50.0%
-6.6%
2.2
0.00%
11.4%
29.1%
0.0
0.00%
174.3%
27.1%
0.0
15
0
20
0
5
0
0.16%
0.00%
33.3%
-
1.4%
-65.0%
-18.1%
2.0%
0.2
0.0
4889
4911
4921
4922
4931
51
5110
5121
5122
5131
5132
5133
5142
Other support activities for

transportation
Postal service
Couriers
Local messengers and local
delivery
Warehousing and storage
Information and cultural
industries
Newspaper, periodical, book and
database publishers
Motion picture and video
industries
Sound recording industries
Radio and television
broadcasting
Pay TV, specialty TV and
program distribution
Telecommunications
Data processing services
A-9
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
3.10%
18.2%
52.0%
11.7%
12.1%
6.1%
7.6%
0.6
0.00%
-100.0%
9.3%
0.0
90
0.73%
0.0%
-20.8%
7.9%
0.3
0.00%
316.1%
24.9%
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-25.0%
124.1%
0.0
Sector (NAICS)
2001
2006
Change
All industries
52
Monetary authorities - central
5211
bank
5221
Depository credit intermediation
Non-depository credit
5222
intermediation
10,360
250
12,245
380
1,885
130
90
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
5223
Activities related to credit

intermediation
5231
Securities and commodity

contracts intermediation and
brokerage
0.00%
-1.1%
-2.4%
0.0
5232
Securities and commodity

exchanges
0.00%
-22.4%
0.0
30
30
0.24%
8.7%
2.0%
0.4
15
25
10
0.20%
66.7%
9.5%
3.3%
0.2
125
220
95
1.80%
76.0%
42.2%
9.0%
2.4
0.00%
-33.3%
-9.4%
0.0
10
10
0.08%
140.0%
-10.4%
2.4
60
115
55
0.94%
91.7%
27.3%
14.5%
0.5
15
65
50
0.53%
333.3%
17.6%
13.8%
1.1
20
20
0.16%
0.0%
57.2%
28.6%
0.2
10
15
0.12%
50.0%
11.1%
14.2%
0.4
15
10
-5
0.08%
-33.3%
-10.6%
1.7%
0.6
0
0
10
0
10
0
0.08%
0.00%
5.3%
-50.0%
1.5%
-36.5%
0.5
0.0
0.00%
69.2%
-3.1%
0.0
0.00%
-25.0%
3.6%
0.0
305
290
-15
2.37%
-4.9%
24.4%
9.0%
0.3
25
50
25
0.41%
100.0%
17.1%
12.3%
0.4
65
85
20
0.69%
30.8%
4.7%
9.5%
0.8
90
50
-40
0.41%
-44.4%
9.8%
11.5%
0.4
5239
5241
5242
5261
5269
53
5311
5312
5313
5321
5322
5323
5324
5331
54
5411
5412
5413
Other financial investment

activities
Insurance carriers
Agencies, brokerages and other
insurance related activities
Pension funds
Other funds and financial
vehicles
Real estate and rental and
leasing
Lessors of real estate
Offices of real estate agents and
brokers
Activities related to real estate
Automotive equipment rental
and leasing
Consumer goods rental
General rental centres
Commercial and industrial
machinery and equipment rental
and leasing
Lessors of non-financial
intangible assets (except
copyrighted works)
Professional, scientific and
technical services
Legal services
Accounting, tax preparation,
bookkeeping and payroll
services
Architectural, engineering and
related services
A-10
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
5414
Specialized design services
Computer systems design and
5415
related services
5416
5417
5418
5419
Management, scientific and

technical consulting services
Scientific research and
development services
Advertising and related services
Other professional, scientific and
technical services
55
Management of companies
and enterprises
5511
Management of companies and

enterprises
56
5611
5612
5613
5614
5615
5616
5617
5619
5621
5622
5629
61
6111
6112
6113
6114
6115
6116
6117
Administrative/Waste
Mgmt/Remediation Services
Office administrative services
Facilities support services
Employment services
Business support services
Travel arrangement and
reservation services
Investigation and security
services
Services to buildings and
dwellings
Other support services
Waste collection
Waste treatment and disposal
Remediation and other waste
management services
Elementary and secondary
schools
Community colleges and
C.E.G.E.P.s
Universities
Business schools and computer
and management training
Technical and trade schools
Other schools and instruction
Educational support services
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
0.16%
18.2%
0.0%
11.7%
15.4%
6.1%
10.6%
0.4
0.29%
0.0%
15.7%
0.1%
0.2
20
-25
0.16%
-55.6%
20.3%
1.6%
0.2
0.00%
438.6%
27.1%
0.0
0.00%
6.6%
16.0%
0.0
25
25
0.20%
0.0%
44.4%
21.3%
0.4
20
20
0.16%
-72.8%
2.5%
1.2
10
15
0.12%
50.0%
-72.8%
2.5%
0.9
260
385
125
3.14%
48.1%
39.3%
19.2%
0.8
0
0
0
0
10
0
30
30
10
0
30
30
0.08%
0.00%
0.24%
0.24%
131.6%
0.0%
13.1%
163.3%
54.2%
-51.5%
11.1%
69.0%
0.5
0.0
0.4
0.3
25
-25
0.00%
-100.0%
-11.1%
-11.1%
0.0
20
10
-10
0.08%
-50.0%
30.2%
24.2%
0.2
110
215
105
1.76%
95.5%
15.5%
0.9%
1.8
35
0
45
20
10
50
-15
10
5
0.16%
0.08%
0.41%
-42.9%
11.1%
102.8%
540.0%
0.0%
21.5%
90.3%
14.6%
0.6
1.5
4.6
25
15
-10
0.12%
-40.0%
0.0%
3.0%
3.4
485
500
15
4.08%
3.1%
22.4%
13.9%
0.6
430
455
25
3.72%
5.8%
15.7%
9.8%
0.8
0.00%
109.3%
12.3%
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
23.7%
25.6%
0.0
0.00%
11.8%
3.6%
0.0
35
10
0
10
25
0
-25
15
0
0.08%
0.20%
0.00%
-71.4%
150.0%
-
-50.0%
36.8%
60.0%
-12.0%
30.2%
55.7%
2.0
0.4
0.0
2001
2006
10,360
20
12,245
20
1,885
0
35
35
45
Change
A-11
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
18.2%
11.7%
6.1%
7.06%
49.1%
23.1%
14.6%
0.7
-20
-5
0.16%
0.16%
-50.0%
-20.0%
27.1%
11.5%
-2.0%
17.6%
0.2
0.3
135
115
1.10%
575.0%
31.8%
18.4%
2.0
30
25
-5
0.20%
-16.7%
31.3%
10.3%
0.5
0.00%
23.2%
32.2%
0.0
40
40
0.33%
9.0%
-3.9%
1.3
0.00%
100.0%
36.0%
0.0
15
35
20
0.29%
133.3%
18.0%
14.4%
0.1
265
435
170
3.55%
64.2%
42.9%
23.4%
1.8
90
70
-20
0.57%
-22.2%
27.9%
30.3%
0.8
0.00%
75.0%
33.3%
0.0
15
65
10
85
-5
20
0.08%
0.69%
-33.3%
30.8%
-4.4%
1.7%
19.8%
1.5%
0.5
0.7
230
170
-60
1.39%
-26.1%
1.4%
13.6%
0.7
0
35
0
20
0
-15
0.00%
0.16%
-42.9%
-22.6%
-22.2%
-3.8%
-6.4%
0.0
1.5
0.00%
25.0%
6.8%
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-40.0%
1.2%
0.0
15
20
0.16%
33.3%
-1.3%
9.1%
0.6
0
10
10
10
0
0
10
-10
-10
0.08%
0.00%
0.00%
-100.0%
-100.0%
-15.8%
-80.6%
-36.1%
22.7%
9.7%
12.4%
0.6
0.0
0.0
155
110
-45
0.90%
-29.0%
22.4%
20.6%
1.0
710
655
-55
5.35%
-7.7%
14.4%
6.5%
0.8
80
25
-55
0.20%
-68.8%
4.7%
8.1%
0.2
15
-15
0.00%
-100.0%
-68.4%
4.2%
0.0
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
35.3%
8.3%
0.0
Sector (NAICS)
2001
2006
All industries
Health care and social
62
assistance
6211
Offices of physicians
6212
Offices of dentists
Offices of other health
6213
practitioners
6214
Out-patient care centres
Medical and diagnostic
6215
laboratories
6216
Home health care services
Other ambulatory health care
6219
services
6220
Hospitals (6221 to 6223)
Nursing and residential care
6230
facilities (6231 to 6239)
6241
Individual and family services
Community food and housing,
6242
and emergency and other relief
services
6243
Vocational rehabilitation services
6244
Child day-care services
Arts, entertainment and
71
recreation
7111
Performing arts companies
7112
Spectator sports
Promoters (presenters) of
7113
performing arts, sports and
similar events
Agents and managers for artists,
7114
athletes, entertainers and other
public figures
Independent artists, writers and
7115
performers
7121
Heritage institutions
7131
Amusement parks and arcades
7132
Gambling industries
Other amusement and
7139
recreation industries
Accommodation and food
72
services
7211
Traveller accommodation
RV (recreational vehicle) parks
7212
and recreational camps
7213
Rooming and boarding houses
10,360
12,245
1,885
580
865
285
40
25
20
20
20
Change
A-12
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
Sector (NAICS)
All industries
7221
Full-service restaurants
7222
Limited-service eating places
7223
Special food services
Drinking places (alcoholic
7224
beverages)
Change
% of
Total
Jobs in
2006
Woolwich
Jobs
Growth
Waterloo
CMA
Jobs
Growth
Ontario
Jobs
Growth
Woolwich
2006
LQ's
2001
2006
10,360
430
145
25
12,245
370
205
20
1,885
-60
60
-5
3.02%
1.67%
0.16%
18.2%
-14.0%
41.4%
-20.0%
11.7%
15.8%
19.3%
36.3%
6.1%
1.7%
11.0%
6.6%
1.2
0.7
0.4
10
30
20
0.24%
200.0%
-25.9%
14.5%
1.0
81
Other services (except public

administration)
725
540
-185
4.41%
-25.5%
3.6%
9.2%
0.9
8111
Automotive repair and

maintenance
195
160
-35
1.31%
-17.9%
-0.4%
3.2%
1.3
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-17.8%
-16.1%
0.0
100
90
-10
0.73%
-10.0%
-5.8%
3.8%
3.5
55
45
-10
0.37%
-18.2%
4.2%
-3.0%
1.9
60
20
95
0
35
-20
0.78%
0.00%
58.3%
-100.0%
20.5%
-5.0%
22.5%
16.9%
0.8
0.0
10
10
0.08%
28.3%
-3.7%
0.4
30
125
15
55
-15
-70
0.12%
0.45%
-50.0%
-56.0%
0.0%
-1.2%
-0.5%
8.2%
0.8
1.0
25
-25
0.00%
-100.0%
-18.2%
11.1%
0.0
0
20
10
0
10
-20
0.08%
0.00%
-100.0%
54.1%
-9.3%
32.0%
13.5%
0.5
0.0
0.00%
-23.1%
11.8%
0.0
80
70
0
45
135
0
-35
65
0
0.37%
1.10%
0.00%
-43.8%
92.9%
-
14.0%
5.0%
106.7%
10.4%
13.4%
25.0%
0.9
0.2
0.0
15
25
10
0.20%
66.7%
-9.0%
12.3%
0.1
8112
8113
8114
8121
8122
8123
8129
8131
8132
8133
8134
8139
8141
91
9111
9112
Electronic and precision

equipment repair and
maintenance
Commercial and industrial
machinery and equipment
(except automotive and
electronic) repair and
maintenance
Personal and household goods
repair and maintenance
Personal care services
Funeral services
Dry-cleaning and laundry
services
Other personal services
Religious organizations
Grant-making and giving
services
Social advocacy organizations
Civic and social organizations
Business, professional, labour
and other membership
organizations
Private households
Defence services
Other federal services (9112 to
9119)
9120
Provincial and territorial public

administration (9121 to 9129)
10
-10
0.00%
-100.0%
-16.1%
11.4%
0.0
9130
Local, municipal and regional

public administration (9131 to
9139)
50
110
60
0.90%
120.0%
11.0%
12.6%
0.5
0.00%
-100.0%
13.0%
0.0
0.00%
2.5%
0.0
9141
9191
Aboriginal public administration

International and other extraterritorial public administration
Note: NAICS Codes not shown were recorded by the Census as not having jobs in Woolwich
Sources for Appendix A: Statistics Canada; EDP Consulting
A-13
Appendix B Members of Project Team and

Stakeholder Committee
B-1
Members of Project Team and Stakeholder Committee
Woolwich Township Project Team

David Brenneman, Chief Administrative Officer
Dan Kennaley, Director of Engineering & Planning Services
John Scarfone, Manager of Planning
Laurel Davies Snyder, Economic Development & Tourism Officer
Stakeholder Committee
John Whitney, DTZ Barnicke Waterloo Wellington Ltd.
Mark Reusser, Ontario Federation of Agriculture
Mary D'Alton, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Bill Elliot, Canada's Technology Triangle
Chris Wood, Waterloo Region International Airport YFK
Nelson Wideman, Mennonite Community
Steve Martin, Martin's Family Fruit Farm
Chuck Martin / Dennis Martin
Darcy Krahn, Royal Bank of Canada
Arnold Drung, Conestoga Meats
Keith Schelter, Schelter Office Pro
Jenny Shantz, St. Jacobs Country / Mercedes Corp
Peter Black, Drayton Theatre
Brooke Lambert, Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Planning
Don Kirck, Home Hardware Head Office
John Whitney, DTZ Barnicke Waterloo Wellington Ltd.
Appendix B Members of Project Team

and Stakeholder Committee
B-2
Appendix C Results of Sectoral Focus Groups
C-1
Results of Sectoral Focus Groups
A series of five sectoral focus group discussions were held in Woolwich during late November
and early December of 2010, as follows:
Manufacturing
Services (e.g. professional/technical, financial, retail/wholesale, transportation)
Tourism, Arts, Culture, Culinary, Health & Wellness
Institutional
The results of these sessions are reported on in the following sections of this Appendix.
It should be noted that some of the observations made by the focus group participants may be
based on perceptions and/or opinions, rather than actual facts. However, it is nevertheless
helpful for the Township to be aware of these perceptions and opinions as these may help to
identify issues that need attention.
Manufacturing Sector Focus Group

The session was attended by representatives of several distinctly different manufacturing
businesses, representing a good cross-section of the manufacturing sector within Woolwich
Township. These included the following:
A manufacturer of communications towers with approximately 65 employees in its

Woolwich-based operation
An auto parts manufacturer focusing on seats, door trims and interior components that has
been based in Elmira for the past eight years, with approximately 330 employees at this
location
A small machine shop owner-operated business with ten employees
An agricultural feed/pet food manufacturer
Manufacturer of antique-style cook stoves and kitchen appliances with 25 employees and
now diversifying into solar energy
A specialized chemical manufacturer with 20 employees at its Elmira plant manufacturing

such chemicals as premium grade sulphuric acid for use in industrial processes.
With such a good cross-section of different types of manufacturers and different sizes of
operations, it was possible to gain a broad prospective of the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats associated with the manufacturing sector in Woolwich.
Appendix C Results of Sectoral

Focus Groups
C-2
Current State of Business and Short Term Outlook

The manufacturers noted that during the recent recession the markets everywhere, with the
exception of Canada, really declined significantly or were curtailed all together. The entire
manufacturing section was operating at a lower than normal level of activity.
However, since some level of recovery has been occurring in Canada, the U.S. and
overseas (in spite of intermittent ups and downs) the manufacturers are now facing a
situation where they need to expand their operations and, in some cases, they are finding it
difficult to expand fast enough to meet recently increasing market demand.
Most of the manufacturers present were currently seeking additional employees in order to
support expanded manufacturing activity.
Some were finding it difficult to recruit the specialized skills they required, such as welders
and millwrights, as well as employees with experience with computerized manufacturing
equipment.
Overall, therefore, the short-term outlook is positive for all of the manufacturers who participated
in the session.
Unique, Leading Edge or Emerging Manufacturing Businesses
In addition to the fact that some of the manufacturers are already producing leading edge and
innovative products such as the communications towers and the antique-styled cook stoves and
kitchen appliances, we were made aware of two manufacturing operations at the development
stage:
A solar energy operation
A potential Bio-gas energy plant that is currently in the planning stages
It was also mentioned that there is a global manufacturer of Olympia ice-resurfacing machines
and ancillary equipment for use in arenas, shipped all over North America and internationally.
Reasons for Woolwich Location Competitive Advantages
The rationale for locating in Woolwich varied from business to business. Some such, as the
feed operation and chemical plant, have long historical roots and relate to the agricultural base
of the area. Others, such as the auto parts manufacturer, see a benefit in being located within a
smaller community adjacent to larger urban areas, where they are able to enjoy the benefits of a
stable, dedicated labour force.
Other locational advantages of Woolwich noted by manufacturing sector participants include:
Proximity to a significant population base and extensive services within Kitchener-WaterlooCambridge
Accessibility to major transportation routes including major highway networks such as the
401, rail transportation and Waterloo Region International Airport (some make use of air
freight services for their businesses)

Focus Groups
C-3
Good proximity to the Southern Ontario market, which is the largest market for most of the
manufacturers in the session.
Proximity to sources of inputs, such as a steel galvanizing operation located in nearby

Guelph, was also cited as an important locational advantage.
Incremental Opportunities for Manufacturing Sector

The incremental opportunities appear to be mainly related to growth in the core businesses of
the existing manufacturers, some product diversification, and the establishment of
complementary manufacturing operations that make use of the some of the same suppliers,
inputs and labour force skills.
For example, the owners of the feed/pet food manufacturer may potentially become involved
in the bio-gas energy project.
The specialized wood stove/kitchen products manufacturer is pursuing development of a

solar energy operation, to become a more broad-based alterative energy company.
Availability of Suitable Land and Commercial/Industrial Space

A number of issues were raised in relation to potential for expansion and the location of new
manufacturing businesses. The issues primarily related to planning and zoning and the
proximity of existing industrial lands to residential areas. Some of the existing manufacturers
find they do not have sufficient buffer zones between their operations and residential areas,
which leads to conflict. It was emphasized that in any future designation and development of
industrial lands, care must be taken to ensure sufficient buffer zones from residential areas and
other incompatible uses (e.g. retail, offices) where the potential noise issues, odours and other
emissions can be a significant concern.
The reality is that heavy industry can have some negative impacts on immediately adjacent
areas, in spite of using the best technology for noise, odours and emissions control.
Related to this was a concern on the part of manufacturers that the industrial areas within
the Township be protected from encroaching residential development, both in terms of the
need to provide buffer zones, as well as the need to maintain adequate industrial lands for
future expansion and to ensure the Township maintains an adequate employment lands
base.
It is important that planning authorities specify clear land use guidelines in accordance with
the principles advocated by the Major Industrial Accidents Council of Canada (MIACC).
Another issue raised in relation to industrial land development was that of development
charges. The manufacturers felt that when developing or expanding a manufacturing
operation they face a lot of development charges which appear to be beyond the costs of
servicing such developments, so there was a feeling that industrial and commercial
operations are subsidizing residential development.
It was noted that the Planning Department needs to look ten years or more into the future in
terms of industrial lands needs and determine how these lands will be serviced.

Focus Groups
C-4
It is also important to channel where industrial growth occurs. There was a general view
that the focus should be on responsible, managed growth which maintains the high quality
of life currently enjoyed in Woolwich.
Potential Investment Attraction Marketing

Participants in this session felt that Woolwich does need to market itself and have a stronger
presence in the marketplace and on the Internet, in order to proactively attract additional
suitable industry.
It would be desirable to attract one or more larger employers on the scale of the existing
Toyota Boshoku plant (300+ employees), to strengthen the Townships industrial base.
At the same time it was stressed that having a mega employer like a Honda plant with
thousands of employees was probably not desirable as it would significantly alter the
character of the Township, which has occurred where these large plants have been
developed.
In general the Township does need to be proactive about marketing itself in order to
manage the growth that is likely to occur.
Related to the overall marketing issue was a general concern about communications within
Woolwich, as many businesses do not know what is going on in terms of other
developments and operations that may affect them, or could be potential partners, until it is
too late. Therefore, it was recommended that the Township could facilitate such
communications with regular bulletins/e-mail blasts to businesses highlighting any significant
events that are occurring that would impact on the business community.
Other Issues, Impediments or Threats
In terms of infrastructure, transportation was noted as a key concern, particularly

maintaining rail transport through to Elmira for freight shipments (there was uncertainty
about who owns/operates the rail line at present).
Another transportation infrastructure issue concerned the improvement of bridges on some

of the arterial roads in the Elmira area, in order to enable better truck routes for the heavy
manufacturing businesses.
Another transportation issue that was noted was the recent improvement of bus service to
Elmira, which has had a significant impact in terms of accessibility to labour. Any further
public transit improvements would facilitate access to a diverse labour force.
Concerns were raised around the issue of high municipal taxes for manufacturing
businesses, which is an issue that is raised by industrial users in many municipalities. It was
noted, for example, that storm water facility charges (this apparently applies to the City of
Waterloo) are often charged whether or not you need this.
Hydro power was also another concern raised by some of the manufacturers. Apparently in
the past there have been problems with power outages and insufficient capacity. However,
some significant upgrading was done by Waterloo North Hydro, so in recent years outages
have not been a problem. One manufacturer is actually adding wind and solar power to
partially support their operation. It was further noted that the rates charged by Waterloo

Focus Groups
C-5
North Hydro are generally high, although fairly competitive with other areas in Southern
Ontario.
Another infrastructure issue that was noted was sewer capacity, although this applied more
to facilitating residential development.
The availability of homes at affordable prices for workers within Woolwich, especially in the
Elmira area, was considered an issue and it was noted that cheaper housing is available in
places like Drayton, where some of the manufacturers are drawing many of their workers
from.
Overall Vision for Woolwichs Economy

This group provided several insights regarding their vision for Woolwichs economy including the
following:
Current external perceptions of Woolwich. Woolwich is generally perceived of as

agricultural country, according to the manufacturers, so there is a need to broaden that
perception to reflect its fairly diversified industrial base and non-agricultural attributes.
Vision for 5-10 years into the future. A few suggestions were made including:
For manufacturing the vision is of an expanded manufacturing/ industrial base in

Woolwich, confined to appropriately zoned and serviced industrial land and with one or
more additional moderate-sized plants employing 200-300 workers or more.
The high quality life style within Woolwich will be maintained including the rural
landscapes, but with improved transportation and transit infrastructure.
An important means for achieving this vision will be appropriate planning and zoning of
suitable industrial lands with adequate buffer zones separating the industrial lands from
residential and other incompatible uses.
Townships Role versus Role of Businesses. The Townships role in economic

development should focus on the following areas:
Appropriate planning, zoning and Official Plan policies
Facilitating communication between the Township and businesses and among

businesses within Woolwich.
Marketing and promoting Woolwich as a place to live and do business in a manner

which will enable balanced growth and maintenance of the high-quality of life.
The role of the manufacturing businesses is to run their own operations effectively,
engage in expansion and diversification, as well as innovation, to ensure a growing and
vibrant manufacturing sector in Woolwich.
Services Sector Focus Group

This focus group was attended by a good cross-section of services businesses within Woolwich
including the following types of services:

Focus Groups
C-6
Retail businesses
Business services
Wholesale/distribution businesses
Professional services
Residential developers/home builders.
This diversity of attendees enabled a broad-ranging discussion dealing with issues related to the
retail sector, downtown shopping areas, business services, and residential development.
Current State of Business, Short Term Outlook and Strengths/Weaknesses
Much of this discussion focused around retail businesses, which have found that business has
been fluctuating somewhat up and down and there were a number of frustrations around
perceived weaknesses mainly in the Elmira downtown area, which included the following:
Other than for local residents, there seems to be a lack of awareness of Elmiras downtown
shopping area.
A lot of concern was expressed over the empty grocery store building downtown that
Sobeys is renting and leaving empty to preclude competition.
Downtown parking was considered to be another major concern by some, along with
signage. Adequate parking may be available, but it needs to be more clearly signed.
The lack of curb appeal of many buildings in downtown Elmira was noted, along with the
need for enhanced streetscaping and enhanced maintenance of existing landscaping and
planters.
On the positive side it was noted that there are some good new retail outlets being
established and that Elmira benefits from the large Mennonite community in the area that
tends to shop locally.
It was also mentioned that Woolwich benefits from the trickle-down effect of the RIM high
tech powerhouse located in North Waterloo and that Woolwichs agricultural economy
provides a lot of economic stability that is beneficial to the retail and service businesses.
There was also some discussion regarding residential development and the fact that there is
currently a lack of additional opportunities for residential development in some parts of
Woolwich such as Elmira, except for the potential opportunity of intensification.
Unique, leading edge or emerging services businesses.

It was noted that some new higher end retailing is starting to develop in Elmiras downtown core
such as Inspiring Accents, a home dcor and accessories shop, as well as some specialized
clothing stores and a new high-end coffee house/caf which is being developed.
Woolwich is also attracting some new professional service businesses such as Quarry
Integrated Communications, which moved into St. Jacobs.

Focus Groups
C-7
Reasons for Locating in Woolwich Competitive Advantages
Better potential to own a small business in a smaller community.
Desire of business owner to move to the area for a quieter, small community lifestyle with
their own independent business.
Business growth opportunities and potential as a result of proximity to the strong growth
economy in the City of Waterloo.
Incremental Opportunities for Services Businesses
Potential to fill-in missing segments from some downtown areas, such as Elmiras, with
higher end shops, restaurants and cafes.
There is a lack of government agencies and services other than the Township, located in
Woolwich, which may be an area of opportunity to pursue.
Potential for additional professional and technical services businesses, especially tying-in
with Waterloos IT sector.
There is incremental potential for residential development including mixed-use

developments in several locations within Woolwich.
Availability of Retail, Commercial and Office Space

There were mixed views on this issue. Some felt that it was difficult to find available locations
for additional downtown retail businesses, as well as office space for professional services and
other businesses.
The second floors of buildings in Elmiras downtown are typically residential rather than
office.
It was also felt that there is a general need to provide for adequate employment lands within
Woolwich, as available serviced employment lands are in short supply in some areas of the
Township.
The Township should resist the temptation to allow potential employment lands to be taken
over by residential development.
It was also noted that within 20 years Waterloo will be full in terms of its development
capability, so there is a need to plan for employment lands for the long term in Woolwich.
Potential Investment Attraction Marketing

Marketing in general was perceived as an important issue. It was agreed that Woolwich is
under-promoted and there is a significant image issue. There is a perception that Woolwich and
Elmira, in particular, are farther away from Waterloo-Kitchener-Cambridge than is really the
case. Residents who live outside the Township perceive it as being a much longer drive than it
really is (only 15 to 20 minutes away).
The Township needs to promote itself more and, in particular, the downtown areas and
shopping opportunities need to be promoted both within and outside the region.

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It was noted that there is no longer a Woolwich Chamber of Commerce, as it has been
absorbed by the Greater KW Chamber of Commerce, but there is a need for a Woolwich
sub-committee to address the interests of Woolwich-based businesses.
There is also a need for a Business Directory and better signage for shopping areas,
particularly in downtown Elmira.
There is a general lack of communications within the business community, so marketing and
communications are important issues to be addressed.

Various impediments and threats were noted in the discussion including the following:
As noted earlier, there were a number of issues related to the Elmira downtown that were
perceived as impediments to successful retailing including the lack of curb appeal and the
need for enhanced streetscaping, parking problems, and the need for improved signage to
draw attention to the downtown shopping area and direct visitors to available parking.
It was stressed that the Old Order Mennonites provide significant support to the Elmira
downtown, although it is becoming increasingly difficult for them to travel with their horses
and buggies on the busy streets and highways. The wide shoulder between St. Jacobs and
Elmira is considered a great initiative, but more needs to be done within the Township to
provide a separate lane/shoulder for horses and buggies, which is also be ideal for cyclists.
There is a need for some additional personal services businesses such as medical services,
dry cleaners and more restaurants/cafes in some communities such as Elmira.
Some businesses felt that it was difficult to recruit qualified employees within Woolwich, so
they depend upon many commuting in from outside the Township.
Allowing vacant lands and buildings to go un-maintained creates a very negative visual
impression for both residents and visitors and has a negative impact on local businesses
(especially retail). Participants felt that the Township could play a stronger role in ensuring
such properties are cleaned-up/maintained and limiting the extent to which principal
buildings in the centre of downtown can be left vacant by owners or tenants.
It was noted that there is a need to coordinate residential development with employment
lands, to ensure that the right balance is maintained.
Concern was raised about truck traffic in the downtown as another inhibitor to retail
businesses and the question was raised again of the need for another bypass or at least
more bridges to handle large trucks on alternative routes that avoid downtown retail areas.
The lack of communications within the business community and between the Township and
business community (although this has been significantly improved recently) was noted as a
key impediment as well, and it was stressed that there is a need to network locally more
effectively and enhance communications.

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Participants in this Services Sector session made the following suggestions in relation to their
overall vision for Woolwichs economy:
External perceptions of Woolwich. The key issue raised regarding external perceptions
was the perception of distance between Woolwich and the adjacent cities of WaterlooKitchener-Cambridge. Residents in Woolwich perceive the three cities to be immediately
adjacent and a very short distance away, whereas residents of the cities perceive Woolwich
and Elmira, in particular, as being fairly distant and well off into the countryside. It was felt
that enhanced marketing and promotion within the cities would be needed to change this
perception.
Vision 5-10 Years into the Future. It was felt that Woolwichs downtown areas would
ultimately undergo transitions into more attractive, heritage-oriented small downtown
community destination shopping areas, more along the lines of what has transpired in
places like St. Jacobs. It was noted that this seems to be starting to happen, based on a
few recent small-scale developments in the retail/restaurant sector in Elmira.
There will continue to be residential and commercial/industrial development, although it

would be kept in balance with the existing successful agriculture and rural component of
the Township.
Effective land-use planning, zoning and Official Plan policies and proactive initiatives on
the part of the Township and business community will enable this vision to be realized.
The perception of Woolwich within the adjacent urban areas will have been transformed
so that urban residents perceive it as a close-by destination for shopping and services.
Townships Role versus Role of Businesses. The Townships role will continue to be
focused around enforcement of appropriate bylaws, community appearance enhancement in
collaboration with the business community, effective planning and zoning, and improved
signage, as well as enhanced marketing/promotion and communications. The business
community will be an active participant in all of these initiatives.
Tourism, Arts, Culture and Culinary Focus Group

The Tourism industry was primarily represented by Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing
Corporation and St. Jacobs Country, the latter also representing a number of tourism-oriented
enterprises in S. Jacobs. In addition, there was representation from the Elmira Theatre
Company, a local artist, and a representative of Waterloo Region Foodlink. While we did not
have a representative from the accommodations sector at the meeting, the representative from
Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation had previously worked in that sector, so was
knowledgeable about relevant issues.
Current State of Businesses, Short-term Outlook and Strengths/Weaknesses
The tourism industry weakened considerably during the recession, especially as a result of the
dramatic decline in the U.S. market. While there has been some recovery because of the
recovery in the Canadian market, the U.S. market is still very weak to the point where Waterloo

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Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation has, for now, eliminated its U.S. marketing program
and is focusing on Canadian market segments, primarily from Southern Ontario. Other
observations of participants in the session included the following:
The tourism experience in Woolwich is a combination of tourism-oriented retail, arts, culture,

hisotry and culinary.
The success of St. Jacobs in marketing itself as a tourism destination was noted as a
strength, as well as the attractive streetscaping and ambiance that has been achieved within
the villages downtown area.
On the weakness side, it was felt that other communities within Woolwich were not
perceived as tourist draws the way St. Jacobs is and that Elmira, in particular, was not
perceived of as a tourism destination, even though it has some similar attributes to St.
Jacobs such as the Elmira Theatre Company, the presence of Old Order Mennonites, and
some unique retail/downtown and arts/culture/heritage attributes.
The presence of Foodlink is also considered a strength, although it represents all of

Waterloo Region, it is actually located in St. Jacobs.
Another weakness noted was the lack of partnering of some of the important tourism and
cultural features within Woolwich. For example, there is a good opportunity for the Elmira
Theatre Company to do more partnering with nearby restaurants and accommodations, to
offer more complete theatre packages to tourists.
Other than St. Jacobs, Woolwich and the rest of its communities are not really on the radar
screen in terms of tourism, so more marketing and image development is required.
Why Businesses Located in Woolwich Competitive Advantage

While this was not a major point of discussion, various remarks made during the discussion
indicated that important locational attributes and advantages include:
For retailers and restaurants the small-town ambiance and downtown heritage buildings in
the principal communities are a major locational advantage.
For Foodlink and agri-tourism oriented businesses, the proximity to agricultural land and
farmers markets are a draw.
Theatre companies and art galleries draw on the wealth of artists, artisans and the culture
and history of the area.
Incremental Opportunities
The opportunity for additional festivals and events to leverage the regions tourism attributes
and create more visibility for it is an opportunity worth investigating. The example of Barries
Kempenfest Festival was noted as an effective example.
Elmiras Maple Syrup Festival is well-known in Ontario and there may be opportunities to
leverage on its success.

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The Old Town Hall in Elmira is considered a good potential arts/culture/tourism opportunity,
being a heritage building. It would lend itself to a role as an art gallery, childrens museum
and home for cultural enterprises. It was noted there is a lack of available locations for
artists to display their works.
The opportunity to draw visitors from much of Southern Ontario was highlighted in the
context of the Elmira Theatre Company, which draws heavily from Kitchener-WaterlooCambridge, Guelph and even Hamilton.
The concept of developing a dinner theatre offering in Elmira that features local foods
exclusively was brought forward.
The importance of family-oriented experiences was discussed and the fact that some
marketing and promotion of the region has been occurring around the family adventure
theme.
The concept of better linkages with other theatres such as the 25 theatres that are part of
the Western Ontario Drama League in terms of packaging and marketing is another
opportunity.
Rural routes tours were also noted as a concept that is gaining traction and fits nicely with
Woolwichs rural environment and the emphasis on local foods and cultural experiences.
The new Woolwich Memorial Centre Complex, with its extensive sports and recreation
facilities, is considered a real asset, particularly in relation to potential sports tourism
activities.
Availability of Suitable Locations for Tourism/Arts/Culture and Culinary Oriented

Businesses and Enterprises
As with the Services Focus Group, a lot of this discussion revolved around creating the right
environment for tourism-oriented retail and food service businesses in communities where this
has not occurred sufficiently, such as Elmira.
The importance of enforcing property standards and maintaining streetscapes and

landscaping in the downtown areas was emphasized, along with the need for effective
signage between communities and within communities.
It was noted that St. Jacobs has done a good job of its way-finding and welcome signage,
although it was pointed out that this was a lengthy process and required significant up-front
private sector investment and on-going maintenance fees to achieve.
Downtown parking issues in Elmira were also raised again, in the context of facilitating
development of tourism-oriented businesses in the downtown areas.
There is a need for enhancement of outdoor recreational opportunities, particularly parks

and trails, as well as the need for more paved shoulders similar to that between Elmira and
St. Jacobs, to accommodate Old Order Mennonites in their horses and buggies and cyclists.

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Marketing and Promotional Issues
The need for a stronger tourism marketing effort focusing on Woolwich was emphasized.
The extent to which Woolwich is known as a tourism destination is primarily because of the
marketing and promotion of St. Jacobs Country, which is a private sector funded initiative.
The opportunity to piggy-back and partner on other marketing efforts was emphasized,
including the tourism marketing and promotion for the Provinces new Region 4, which
encompasses Waterloo Region and goes as far west as Lake Huron.
Waterloo Region International Airport is considered a great asset and is actually located in
Woolwich, so could provide an opportunity for promoting tourism in the Township. The
Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation is working with the Airport to develop an organized
tourism brochure display rack at the Airport, which will help with tourism marketing and
promotion.
The Townships tourism, arts and culture, agri-businesses, and food and culinary aspects all
fit together well as an overall tourism marketing package, which needs to be further
promoted.
Enhanced signage both way-finding and welcome signage throughout the Township
would help with marketing and promotion for tourism/arts/culture.
Partnering appears to be the key in marketing and packaging and it is important to tie-in the
outdoor recreational opportunities, as well examining the potential of marketing for sports
tourism.
The importance of existing and potential public transit services to and throughout Woolwich
was emphasized as being important for facilitating access by visitors, as well as by
employees.
Parking issues need to be addressed in specific areas such as downtown Elmira.
Strategies to minimize the presence of abandoned and dilapidated properties in proximity to

tourism and retail businesses should be developed and implemented.
Traffic flow issues should be addressed and provision of additional paved shoulders
available for Old Order Mennonites and cyclists, as well as additional dedicated
trails/pathways for them.
Water and sewer is a consideration in the case of development of new employment lands
and compatibility with Conservation Authority guidelines is important.

This groups observations related to overall vision included the following:
External perceptions of Woolwich. As noted, the external perception of Woolwich from a

tourism point of view is really the image that has been projected by St. Jacobs Country,
which has certainly been effective for promoting the area. Other parts of the Township,

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C-13
however, such as Elmira, are not perceived of as tourist destinations, yet they have a
number of attractions and features to offer.
Vision 5-10 Years into the Future. Based on the discussion of the participants in this
session, the vision for this sector has the following elements:
Stronger image and promotion of the whole Township and its unique communities as
tourism destinations.
The development of additional festivals/events, perhaps leveraging on the success of

the Maple Syrup Festival.
Stronger visible presence for tourism, arts and culture via enhanced signage and
streetscaping of downtown areas.
More effective partnerships among different types of tourism-oriented enterprises

including restaurants, retail, arts/culture (e.g. theatre, art galleries), and nearby
accommodations.
Better integration into tourism product offerings of outdoor recreational opportunities,

through incremental trails and parks development.
Focus needs to be placed on the appropriate planning and development guidelines and
public and private sector support for these various potential initiatives.
Townships Role versus Role of Businesses. It was recognized that the private sector has
been, and will continue to, be heavily involved in the marketing and promotion of tourism
and related experiences in Woolwich.
At the same time, it was felt that the Township could play a more proactive role in
promotion of the area as a tourism destination, particularly the other communities that
are less well known than St. Jacobs.
Communications and partnering between the public and private sectors and among
private sector enterprises is critical for future growth and success.
Planning guidelines, parking policies, and other policies to enhance community

appearance and streetscapes, which need to be facilitated by the Township, are
important, along with strong support from the private sector.
Institutional Sector
The concept of this session was to focus more on the institutional and public sector within
Elmira including government, education, health care and utilities. Actual attendance at the
session included a representative from the health-care sector (seniors care), a representative
from the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre, a representative from the Waterloo
Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation, and an employment lands property
developer.
Therefore, we adapted the session to best fit the knowledge base of those around the table and
focused the discussion around seniors housing and seniors care, entrepreneurs, and small
businesses.

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Current State of Seniors Housing and Seniors Care in Woolwich

In general there is a shortage of seniors housing and seniors care facilities within Woolwich.
The local retirement homes, nursing home and long-term care facility are full with significant
waiting lists some 80 people on the waiting list in one case. Apparently 20 new units of
seniors housing have been built recently (not a care facility), although there is still a shortage of
supply, particularly in relation to seniors care facilities.
Incremental Opportunities for Seniors Housing and Care
The establishment of seniors care facilities is coordinated with the Waterloo Region Local
Health Integrated Network. Therefore, development of any new facilities would need to be
cleared through this organization, which is part of the Provinces health care system. There is
apparently sufficient zoning within Elmira, for example, to accommodate development of
additional seniors care facilities and seniors housing.
It should be noted that seniors care facilities can become significant local businesses in that
they typically employ a large number of staff (100 people at a local retirement home/nursing
home in Elmira with 48 long-term care beds and 64 rooms in the retirement home).
In addition to providing jobs for health care professionals, food service workers are in
demand, as these types of operations typically provide their own in-house food services,
even purchasing local foods and agricultural products.
Seniors Housing and Seniors Care Issues, Impediments and Threats

Provincial approvals for care facilities are a major hurdle, since the inventory is managed
province-wide and via the 14 Local Health Integrated Networks.
It was noted that qualified staff can be hard to recruit in the Elmira area, particularly
registered nurses and physicians. There is a Physicians Recruiting Task Force for Waterloo
Region that is addressing the shortage of physicians.
There is lab service and an X-Ray clinic available locally in the Elmira area and the closest
hospital is only 15 to 20 minutes away, so the location works well for seniors care.
Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

In Woolwich Township, as with the rest of the province, small businesses are the backbone of
the economy and entrepreneurism seeds the start-up of many small businesses. During the
session we spent considerable time discussing issues and concerns of entrepreneurs, small
business start-ups, and small businesses generally within Woolwich.
Current State of Entrepreneurship, Small Business Start-ups and Small Businesses
In the case of small business start-ups the challenge is always access to sufficient capital
financing. As a result of the recent recession and financial meltdown it is more difficult than
ever for small businesses to access capital. Community Futures and the Small Businesses
Development Centre deal with numerous entrepreneurs that have been rejected by banks and
other lenders.

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It was also noted that entrepreneurs typically need a lot of advice and mentorship. This can
be provided by organizations such as Community Futures, although it is more geared for
rural communities and the Waterloo Region Small Business Centre serves both urban and
rural constituencies.
A good initiative for young entrepreneurs is the Summer Company Program which offers
young people, ages 15 - 25, grants of up to $3,000 to get a summer business up and
running, providing excellent entrepreneurial experience. These are mainly service
businesses such as a moving company, direct sales activities, a dance camp, painters,
landscapers, and computer services.
It was also noted that a lot of entrepreneurs are coming to the area for the quality of life,
lending credence to the concept that talent and their associated knowledge-based
businesses can be attracted to locales with high quality lifestyles. The pleasant combination
of urban and rural in Woolwich Township potentially has a strong appeal.
Incremental Opportunities
A lot of the businesses and entrepreneurs starting-up in Woolwich tend to be in agriculture,

retail, services, manufacturing and technology. The vast majority are service businesses of
one sort or another (perhaps up to 85%) with a strong focus on trades people, technologybased service businesses, alternative health care businesses, agriculture, construction and
tourism/hospitality businesses.
Examples of some unique businesses that have developed in Woolwich and nearby include
a health and wellness spa, a work clothing company, and a business focusing on in-home
care for seniors.
Availability of Suitable Commercial/Industrial Space for Small Businesses

For start-up businesses the primary issue is affordable space. Most start-ups can only afford to
pay a maximum of $10 to $11 per sq. ft. rather than the $15+ per square foot rate normally
required. Examples of incubation centres in the broader region were provided, such as the
following:
There is a Business Incubation Centre in Fergus which has 19 booths or stalls focusing on
sales of specialty foods and organic products, etc.
Another example is the successful Accelerator Centre at University of Waterloo, which is a

high-tech incubator that provides office space and mentorship for start-up IT companies.
These individuals often have access to C-mentors who are retired CEOs from large
companies.
Another incubator example provided is known as The Hub in downtown Kitchener, which
has a focus on digital media and gaming. In this 30,000 sq. ft. incubator it is possible to rent
a desk or an office and the facility was full from start-up, indicating the demand for this type
of service.
The business service centre concept was also noted as an opportunity for start-ups, where
small businesses share office space with others, making use of a common receptionist,
office manager and supporting services and equipment.

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Other Issues, Impediments or Threats for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Start-ups
A major problem is labour force and it was noted that the hiring of young people just out of
college or university is difficult for start-up businesses because of the high expectations of
students regarding wages and benefits.
It was noted that the region will be doing an employers survey, which may provide
additional insights regarding business issues in the region.
The Old Order Mennonites in the region tend to have lower educational levels, which limits
the extent to which this source of labour can be used by many businesses requiring
specialized knowledge and expertise.
Public transit is an issue and needs to be enhanced in order to make it easier for businesses
in Woolwich to attract qualified workers.
A comment was made about the extent of brownfield sites within Woolwich and the need for
financial incentives to rehabilitate these sites and buildings with improved facades, etc.
There is also a perceived need to better coordinate planning with investment attraction
efforts and downtown enhancement.

This group offered the following comments:
External perceptions. As was commented in the other focus groups, there is a perception
that Woolwich, and particularly Elmira, is far away from Waterloo-Kitchener-Cambridge, in
spite of being almost immediately adjacent. There is also a perception of countryside and
agricultural landscapes, which can be a positive in terms of tourism, which is strengthened
by attractions like St. Jacobs, the Farmers Markets and West Montrose Covered Bridge.
Vision 5-10 Years into the Future. Comments included the following:
In relation to downtown revitalization and the rehabilitation of brownfield sites, Brantford

was cited as an example where low cost employment lands have been successfully
developed. Therefore, there is a vision that Woolwich will continue with downtown
enhancement initiatives in communities such as Elmira.
It was noted that there is no presence of provincial agencies, such as a Ministry of

Environment and OMAFRA, which have a strong presence in other parts of the overall
region.
There was also discussion regarding whether Woolwich should be branded overall or the
focus should be on promoting the individual communities and downtown areas. It
appears that at some level both aspects should be pursued, with some overall promotion
and branding of the Township, while maintaining the distinct identities of the individual
communities.
Townships Role versus Role of Businesses. This was not a major point of discussion,
although various remarks made indicated that there is an expectation that the Township will

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be proactive in such things as: planning and zoning, enforcement of property standards,
community appearance enhancement, signage and other initiatives that will help to facilitate
small businesses and the establishment of other organizations and institutions.

This focus group was attended by a cross-section of agriculture and rural businesses within
Woolwich, including members of the Old Order Mennonite community, as well as a
representative from the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).
Current State of the Sector, Short Term Outlook and Strengths/Weaknesses
Agriculture in Woolwich is clearly a thriving sector, easily seen via a drive around the
countryside and visits to local markets. This component of the discussion highlighted a number
of strengths and weaknesses of the agricultural and rural businesses sector in Woolwich.
Specific strengths noted included the following:
An agricultural sector based upon multiple product and multiple commodity farming
Younger farmers and multiple communities involved in agriculture and rural businesses
Good momentum in terms of the local food movement (e.g. maple syrup and summer
sausage)
A strong entrepreneurial spirit among participants in the sector
Strong connection with the land, a result of the long-standing agricultural base in the area.
Weaknesses mentioned included:
Woolwichs agricultural/food products could be better marketed (e.g. maple syrup)
The high value and cost of farmland in Woolwich, a result of its immediate proximity to
growing cities with strong economies.
Roles of the Mennonite Community in this Sector

With regard to this line of questioning, the discussion emphasized that no one community has a
responsibility the Mennonite community has the same responsibility as other communities and
that is to be entrepreneurs in the context of:
What the Woolwich community wants the Township to be
The local, regional and national economy.
Unique, Leading Edge or Emerging Businesses

The following examples were provided:

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Local food movement maple syrup and summer sausage are examples of local products
that are highly regarded
Local horticulture and the proximity to a large market in Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge
The uniqueness of the Mennonite community possibility to develop a community oriented

brand
The Elmira Produce Auction has been a great success and could serve as a model for local
horticulture markets elsewhere.
Reasons for Locating in Woolwich Competitive Advantages
Beyond the obvious asset of good arable agricultural land, there was no specific reason
cited historical/family tenure on the land is why many are located where they are
The close proximity to local markets in Kitchener-Waterloo is clearly an advantage.
Incremental Opportunities for Agricultural and Rural Businesses

This was not a significant point of discussion, although remarks made pointed to a number of
opportunities that should be considered/pursued:
More marketing of existing products
Improve operational efficiency and safety by widening roads to better accommodate farm
vehicles
Incorporating more flexibility into regulations that govern the sector and its products
Stronger support from the Township in terms of planning and policies that will benefit
agriculture and facilitate incremental opportunities in this sector.
Availability of Suitable Land and Locations
There is a small land base in Woolwich and expansion is limited, particularly for
livestock farms, because of health and safety requirements/regulations.
Small inventory of properties the northern portion of Woolwich has only small parcels of
land not suitable for farm development (better-suited to residential development).
Regulations are restrictive farmland cannot be severed unless it is at least 88 acres in

size.

Among the other issues, impediments and threats that were noted in the discussion were the
following:
Relationships between Township staff and the agricultural/rural business community could
be better. The role of the Township should be to facilitate entrepreneurship and, where
possible, be flexible with regulations and requirements so as to not stifle innovative ideas.

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It was suggested that the Township could retain staff to assist agricultural/rural businesses
with traversing the often complex regulatory terrain. Farmers do not have their own
accountants, land development teams, consultants, and other experts to draw upon.
The cost of farmland in Woolwich is very high, meaning that younger farmers have a hard
time breaking into the industry.
The cost of water is high.
There are continuing challenges on rural roads, with insufficient room on the roadways for
farm vehicles the suggestion was made to increase the quality and width of the shoulders
during road reconstruction and construction.
There are increasing conflicts between vehicles and horses and buggies. Therefore, it is
vital to allow residential uses in proximity to Older Order Mennonite farm operations (could
sever smaller pieces of land) to ensure that the residences of the Older Order Mennonite
community are in closer proximity to their farm operations this would reduce the distances
for the horse and buggy commuters.
The regulatory environment tends to be too restrictive and is often followed by the letter of
the law in instances where a bit of flexibility would result in innovative and successful farm
operations.
The labour pool is good because of proximity to Kitchener-Waterloo. Woolwich likely has a
better situation in this regard than other more isolated rural communities.
Youth retention is an issue, but not as big an issue as in other rural communities youth
have access to Kitchener-Waterloo and a variety of amenities in Woolwich.
Marketing could be improved for this sector and its products.

The agriculture/rural businesses group offered several comments in relation to perceptions and
vision:
External perceptions of Woolwich. Comments included the following:
The current perception is that Woolwich is a serene environment with chirping birds and
pastoral landscapes, with urban amenities not too far away the fear is that because of
this perception there will be more people moving to Woolwich and the potential for
Woolwich to become primarily a residential community.
Woolwich as a great place to purchase food products.
Horses and buggies of the Old Order Mennonite community.
Vision 5-10 Years into the Future. This groups vision was as follows:
More of the same with no new big industries
A sustainable rural economy and environment for our children and their children

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More flexibility on the part of the Township to facilitate entrepreneurship and navigate
through the complexity of regulations and requirements. It was suggested that the role
of regulations should be to solve problems and not just issue fines.
Future land uses that are compatible with the agricultural land base
Maintaining the prosperous looking, beautiful rural landscapes. Every 100 acres you
see good looking, well-farmed, well-kept farmland which is unique in Ontario.
A more supportive Township that assists existing agricultural and rural entrepreneurs
The continued good practice of the Township in listening to and engaging the community
in future planning processes.
Townships Role versus Role of Businesses. Two comments were made in this regards:
Businesses should continue to be innovators and entrepreneurs.
The Township should function as facilitators of innovation.

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Appendix D Results of Public Meetings
D-1
Results of Public Meetings
The primary focus of these two meetings (held on December 8, 2010 and January 20, 2011)
was to provide the public with an opportunity to review the work completed to date and to
engage in dialogue with consultants, Township Staff and each other regarding the future of
Woolwichs economy. The results are reported on the following pages.
It should be noted that some of the observations made by the general public may be based on
perceptions and/or opinions, rather than actual facts. However, it is nevertheless helpful for the
Township to be aware of these perceptions and opinions as these may help to identify issues
that need attention.
Results of First Public Meeting
Various ideas and suggestions made by participants at the first public meeting included the
following suggestions on what Woolwich could do to improve the economy:
Ensuring a strong well defined and attractive central core is vital. This should include
improved transit and appealing streetscapes with highquality storefront facades, as well as
ensuring active By-law enforcement on the exteriors of buildings on key roadways.
Renew and reform the BIA to be more inclusive and active with a stronger purpose
Improve the bus schedule, make it permanent and include attractive bus shelters
Consider blocking off Arthur Street from Church south to about Park and turn it into a
pedestrian mall area with trees, flowers, fountains and sculptures. Create public spaces
which allow people to interact and linger.
Develop lands in Breslau and in proximity to the proposed GO Station
Market Woolwich in trade magazines and shows
Provide better public transit
Offering more programs (e.g.- swim school) at local schools would help to entice people to
locate in Woolwich
Plan more events in Woolwich such as: Swim Conestoga Lake Challenge, Fall Fair, Winter
Fair and more major league hockey team events.
Promote unique products such as Mennonite products
Attract more businesses in the new subdivision near the new church
Truck bypass routes would make the downtown cores more appealing and safe
Offer greening incentives to businesses
Appendix D Results of
Public Meetings
D-2
Attract hightech (computers, RIM, Christies etc.) companies and parts suppliers for the
hightech companies in the Waterloo area
Offer more tourismrelated activities to complement the Maple Syrup Festival
In the first Public Meeting suggestions were also made regarding strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats.
Woolwichs Strengths:
Entrepreneurial and adaptive community
Diverse business mix
Highquality local foods
Proximity to KitchenerWaterloo
Unique culture and history (Old Order Mennonite community)
Strong agricultural economy
Woolwichs Weaknesses:
Limited and unreliable internet service
Perception that Woolwich is far away from KitchenerWaterloo. This perception needs to
be changed.
Woolwichs Opportunities:
Leveraging the proximity to Waterloos hightech industry. It was mentioned that

Woolwich has a tremendous opportunity to manufacture parts used in the hightech
sector.
Parts of Woolwich are designated as a smart growth location lands adjacent to

Waterloo Region International Airport are ideally suited for employment development
and land in proximity to proposed Go Station is ideally suited for mixeduse development
Proximity to major transportation infrastructure including Waterloo Region International

Airport, proposed GO Transit station, and highways
Improve and promote public transit (Grand River Bus, Waterloo Central Railway etc),
affordable housing and beautification to draw people and businesses
The Waterloo Central Railway could function to transport tourists to Woolwich. Overall
the rail line is also an important component of the business community which relies on
the railway for goods movement
Over the last decade agriculture has been doing very well. There is a huge demand for
food and local goods at the community, regional and international scale Woolwich is
perfectly positioned to leverage this interest.
Synergies between tourism and agriculture sectors agritourism.
Woolwichs Threats:
Public Meetings
D-3
Increasing population influx results in crowded roads which deters quality of life and
increases conflicts with horse and buggy traffic. It is crucial to balance growth with
heritage characteristics and quality of life.
Rising cost of gasoline. The big ticket items that drive Woolwichs economy are reliant
on transportation (e.g.- tourism, manufacturing, etc).
Results of Second Public Meeting

This meeting was held in Breslau on January 20, 2011. It should be stressed that turnout was
very limited as it was a snowy winter night, so the discussion was dominated by a couple of
individuals with an interest in commercial development in Breslau. Comments made by those in
attendance included:
A lot of the discussion focused around the need for better public transit service to the
Breslau area. Ideally there should be a bus going to the airport and additional bus services
could help businesses and industries in the Breslau area better access the labour market.
Apparently Grand River Transit offers special services to major employers such as RIM in
Waterloo.
It was noted that the Economic Development Plan and any other planning that is done
requires regional approval and involvement, so it is important to have the region buyin to
the Plan. This is true for issues such as regional transportation that are within the Regions
jurisdiction, but there is much planning that is more locally based that is within the
jurisdiction of the Township.
A concern was expressed that there tends to be a strong focus on Elmira and St. Jacobs,
with little focus in terms of planning, transportation and other issues in the Breslau area.
businesses and industries to expand there.
The GO Transit Station, when it is established, apparently will be at the end of Treehouse
Road
Another concern raised was the lack of grocery shopping available in the Breslau area and
the general lack of retailing
Delays in the expansion of Highway 7 were also noted apparently heldup because of
some environmental issues, and it was suggested that the traffic congestion itself is creating
an environmental problem. However, apparently the expansion has been approved and will
proceed in due course.
The availability of some additional basic services in Breslau would be very helpful such as a
Post Office, gas station and grocery store. It was noted by Township officials that the planning
for the area does allow for such services and that there are plans for mixed use developments
in the works, but it is really demand in the marketplace that enables these services to develop.
As additional housing is developed in the Breslau area, it is anticipated that such services will
evolve.
Public Meetings
D-4
Appendix E Results of Youth Consultation Session
E-1
Results of Youth Consultation Session
The primary focus of this meeting was to hear the views of Woolwich youth on the proposed
Woolwich Economic Development Plan. Twelve youth ranging from age 10 to early 20s
attended the meeting. Five adults were also in attendance.
Laurel Davies Snyder from the Township of Woolwich and Dave Hardy from Hardy Stevenson
and Associates Limited presented background information and focus questions using Power
Point.
Participants split into 2 discussion groups. Several adults served as facilitators. Participants
were asked to write down their responses to, and ideas about the following questions.
What is it about Woolwich that you like/dislike?
If Woolwich could attract companies, what kind should they be attracting (I.T., engineering,
The facilitators started with the broader questions:

What do you like about living in Woolwich? What do you not like?
Like: The scenery especially in the spring, country feel, small town atmosphere, trees, ability
to walk, safety, Christmas lights, new businesses, walking trails, close to schools etc, Maple
Festival, because the community is safe parents allow us to stay up, the market.
Dont Like: One way streets, truck smells/ noise, Woolwich getting bigger/ city-type crime, new
house design (lots too small), nothing to do, expensive housing, biogas plant, bees, manure
smell, uneven sidewalks, need to stand away from trucks turning.
Aeropostal
Blue note
Old Navy
Laser Video
Sip and Bite
West 49
Appendix E Results of
E-2
Video
E. B. Games
Game Stop
Build a bear
MacDonalds
Foodland
No Frills
Chinese food
American Eagle
Conestoga Mall
Outlet Chocolate
Bargain
Winners
Kitchen
Staples/ Future Shop
Booster Juice
Electronics Media
Dairy Queen
Harveys and Restaurants
Coles Books
Shoe store / youth

Mall
Sit down family restaurants
Target
Starbucks
Cooking school
Movies
Mini Golf
Cafe
Skate Park
Skateboards
Laser Quest
Art Studio
Medical Centre
More businesses open more hours
If Woolwich could attract companies, what kind should they be attracting (e.g.- IT, engineering,
Video Game
Campground
RIM Branch
Humane Society
Rehab Centre
More Construction Companies
Pet Day Care

Nursing Care
Elder Care
Day Care Kids
Retirement home
Culinary College
Police College
Law School
Tattoo School
Teachers University
Cafeteria work
Babysitting
E-2
What should remain the same?
Stores, restaurants and libraries

Horses are cute and they bite
Walking trails or more
Like how Elmira is growing
Quietness
Pleasantness
Nice know each other and wave
Horses
Close to City without being like the city
Small town feel
Older houses large lots
Parks trails and farmland
Small town and horse and buggy
Small town that we love so deeply
No big companies
Elmira youth centre
Parks and trees are very nice and
relaxing
More malls
Its small
Small town atmosphere
Everybody knows each other (small
town)
Small town community feeling
Funding to non-profit service groups
Local papers
Local government
What should change?
Macs
Want KFC
Change cracked roads
Big factories
Too many new houses (I feel poor)
If you are going to build houses make
them have a yard
Better road designs
Less smell
Less diesel smell
Clean up after horses
E-2
Have safer way/ place for buggys to

drive
Less houses more trees
Cost of living / house cost
Need development but so many houses
on small lots
More nursing/ retirement homes
More for youth to do
Longer hours at Youth Centre
Skate Park
Less housing and more business
The cheese house Kitchen Kuttings
Appendix F List of Documents Used
F-1
List of Documents Used
The following documents were referred to in connection with preparing the Woolwich Economic
Development Plan:
Township of Woolwich
Elmira Core Area and Commercial Review, 2005
Township of Woolwich Economic Development Strategic Plan, 1997
Township of Woolwich Strategic Plan, 2002
Township of Woolwich Official Plan
Township of Woolwich Zoning Bylaw
Township of Woolwich 2008 Development Charge Background Study
Community Profile and Development Information, 2010
Vacant Land Inventory (2009): Industrial and Commercial
Woolwich 2016 Pathway to Tomorrow, January 1996
Woolwich Agricultural Review re Agricultural Zoning Amendment, April 2007
Waterloo Region
Investing in Waterloo Region 2010-2014: A Strategic Plan for Canadas Technology Triangle
Inc., June 2009
Canadas Technology Triangle Incs Roadmap for 2011-2015: 5- Year Strategic Business
Plan, May 2010
Economic Impact Study of the Agriculture and Food-Related Sectors in Waterloo Region,
October 2003
Go To Market Strategy for Employment Lands, prepared for Canadas Technology Triangle
(CTT), 2010-11
Region of Waterloo, Regional Official Plan, 2009
Region of Waterloo Draft Transportation Master Plan, April 2010
Region of Waterloo Strategic Plan: Strategic Focus 2007-2010
Waterloo Region International Airport Business Plan
Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation (WRTMC) Marketing Strategies, 20102015
Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation (WRTMC) Strategic Plan, 2010-2015
F-2
Other Documents
Arts and Culture Master Plan, The Corporation of the City of Cambridge, March 2009
Taking Back the Middle: Local and Organic Producer-Controlled Distribution Systems,
Canadian Organic Growers Perth-Waterloo-Wellington, July 2009
F-3
Appendix G List of Participants in the Consultation

Process
G-1
List of Participants in the Consultation Process
The following individuals participated in the consultation process undertaken during the
preparation of the Woolwich Economic Development Plan:
Mark Bauman, Councillor, Township of Woolwich
Urlich Borths, Toyota Boshoku Canada
Paul Bowers, OMAFRA
Emerson Bowman, Elmira Farmers Market
Sandra Bray, Artist
Roy Broadbear, Waterloo Central Railway
Herman Brubacher, Brubachers Produce
Anna Contini, Foodlink Waterloo Region
Tony Dowling, Elmira Stove Works
Ryan Draper, Sulco Chemicals
Chris Farrell, Ontario Small Business Centre
Marilyn Fell, St. Jacobs Country
Noah Gingriah, Elmira Produce Auction
Jesse Gingrich, Farmer Market Garden
Bill Green, GSP Group
Jennifer Patterson, Inspiring Accents
Anton Heimpel, At the Crossroads Family Restaurant
Julie-Anne Herteis
Dan Holt, Community Care Concepts
Jennifer Horndl
Gerry Horst, OMAFRA
Peter Katona, Foodlink
Jim Kay
Don Kirck, Home Hardware
Ron Koniuch, Sulco Chemicals
Gerry Kraft, Elmira Theatre Company Inc.
Darcy Krahn, RBC
Tom Krizsan, Thomasfield Homes
Appendix G List of Participants in the

Consultation Process
G-2
Frank Kuschmiere, Xenium
Brooke Lambert, Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Chuck Martin, Marbro Capital Ltd.
Dennis Martin, Marbro Capital Ltd.
Kevin Martin, Martins Family Fruit Farm
Laurene Martin, Elmira Farmers Market
Quentin Martin, Wintermans Farm
Robin Martin, The Robins Nest
Steve Martin, Martins Family Fruit Farm
Diane McCrohan, Leeanna Pendergast, MPP
Shawn McGuire, Lunor Group Inc.
Katherine McLaughlin, Thomasfield Homes
Thomas McLaughlin, Thomasfield Homes
Kiet Ngo, SmartCentres
Joan Norris, Chateau Gardens
Kurt Penfold, Trylon TSF
Salima Rawji, SmartCentres
Jana Reichert, Waterloo Wellington Community Futures Development Corporation
Mark Reusser, Waterloo Federation of Agriculture, Farmer
Keith Schelter, Schelter Office Pro
Brian Shantz, Brian L. Shantz Ltd.
Jenny Shantz, St. Jacobs Country, Mercedes Corporation
Marcus Shantz, Mercedes Corporation
Robert Shuh, Family Farm
Art Sinclair, Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Donald & Stephanie Smith, Core Clothing
Bill Southern, Southern Corporation
Sheri Thoman, Magic Mountain
Richard Trapp, Emerald Homes
Diana Weltz, Elmira Framing and Calla Studio
Nelson Wideman, Jay West Produce
Chris Wood, Waterloo Region International Airport
Marjorie Wood, Waterloo Regional Tourism Marketing Corporation
Appendix G List of Participants in the

Consultation Process
G-3

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Shaping Woolwichs Economic Future

6 RECOMMENDED VISION, STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS, OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIC

Objectives of Economic Development Planning Process

To develop an implementable economic development plan that sustains a vibrant, diverse,

Principal Steps in the Study Process

Extensive sectoral consultations were undertaken by holding discussion sessions with

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Economic Base Analysis

Agriculture (9.2% of all jobs in Woolwich);

Manufacturing (23.1% of jobs);

Retail and wholesale trade (23.6% of jobs);

Business services (13.0% of jobs); and

Other services (9.2% of jobs).

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Opportunities in advanced manufacturing and technology manufacturing including:

Knowledge-based high-tech sector business opportunities including: computer and

General Economic Development Needs to be Addressed

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

1. Implement well1.1 To provide strong

Potential Strategic Actions

1. Discuss agricultural requirements for the short, medium,

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

1. In conjunction with the 2011 Go to Market Strategy and

1. Ensure sufficient lands available in suitable locations for

1.5 To plan for commercial

1. Conduct a Commercial Needs study to determine current

1.6 To continue planning for

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

1.7 To implement the scoped

1. Commence implementation of the scoped Official Plan

1.8 To support and encourage

1. Continue to support and participate on Waterloo

1.9 To facilitate and support

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

1. Continue implementation of Business Visitation Program

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

3.2 To support, encourage,

1. Work with partners and organizations to implement and

1. Economic Development and Tourism Officer to deliver

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

and partners to ensure that

7.1 To implement the

1. Participate in and/or assist with coordinating regular

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

7.2 To ensure that data and

1. Develop a list of key indicators and data sources and

7.3 To evaluate sector-specific 1. Participate in regional discussions in relation to business

Developing Sector Specific Opportunities

Potential Strategic Actions

1. Conduct a regular review of policy framework and

1. Work with partners and stakeholders to maintain an

Woolwich Economic Development Plan Project Summary

Potential Strategic Actions

1.4 To work with stakeholders

1. Continue working with stakeholders and partners to

5. Work with Township Staff to encourage incorporating

1. Continue participation and communication with CTT,

1. Work with stakeholders and partners regarding available