Overview

The Township of Centre Wellington is in the process of establishing a new Economic Development & Tourism Strategy, setting a 20-year vision for the community.

Through this work, we are seeking to define new directions, ideas and approaches to enhance economic growth, attract investment, develop Centre Wellington as a four-season visitor destination, and ensure that the opportunity continues to be a significant part of local quality of life.

Why tourism?

Tourism is a vital component of Centre Wellington's economy, supporting opportunities for entrepreneurship and community stewardship while fostering a vibrant community atmosphere. Investing in sustainable and strategic tourism development:

• Provides stability to local businesses and employment opportunities;
• Enhances the cultural and recreational offerings available to residents;
• Attracts new investments and creates new revenue streams for the Township; and
• Celebrates and works to enhance the people, places and culture of Centre Wellington.

Why economic development?

Economic development supports Centre Wellington's long-term prosperity and sustainability. Efforts include attracting and retaining businesses and investments; infrastructure development; entrepreneurship and small business support; and workforce development. These efforts work to:

• Foster a diverse and resilient economy;
• Create jobs and increase local incomes;
• Enhance public services and infrastructure; and
• Strengthen community identity and pride.

Moreover, a robust economy enhances the community’s ability to invest in social programs, education, and health services, contributing to a higher standard of living for all.

How do tourism and economic development intersect?

Tourism and economic development are deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing. A thriving tourism sector can act as a catalyst for broader economic growth by attracting investment, creating employment opportunities, and stimulating demand for local products and services. Conversely, a strong economic foundation provides the necessary infrastructure and amenities that make Centre Wellington an attractive destination for visitors.

By integrating tourism and economic development strategies, we can maximize the benefits of both, creating a dynamic and prosperous community. Collaborative efforts will ensure that development is sustainable, inclusive, and aligned with the long-term vision for Centre Wellington, enhancing the township's appeal as a place to live, work and visit.

The Centre Wellington Economic Development and Tourism Strategy (EDTS) is approached from seven strategic pillars, each determined based on the current situational analysis and primary priority areas, and in pursuit of this Plan's 20-year vision. The Pillars are:

1. Capacity
2. Economic Growth & Resilience
3. Workforce & Livability
4. Investment Readiness & Infrastructure
5. Destination Development & Visitor Management
6. Placemaking
7. Brand Identity, Marketing & Communications

These pillars are inherently interconnected, and include recommendations and actions for the Township to consider over the next five years and beyond. Below are the seven pillars and recommendations stemming from the EDTS. The full EDTS is also available in the document library for review.

The capacity of Centre Wellington’s economic development and tourism team is a critical factor in effectively executing this Plan. With current capacity limitations at play, it will be a challenge to effectively steward the rapid pace of growth of the community and implement the EDTS.

Successful outcomes require a comprehensive and coordinated approach to maximize positive impacts and reduce risks of inefficiencies and lost economic potential. Addressing this gap by investing in the required resources—such as the right team, budget, training, and organizational support—is essential for the Township to leverage the full spectrum of economic development and tourism opportunities available. This means finding efficiencies, developing new revenue streams, and leveraging new technologies.

By addressing capacity challenges and adopting the recommended approaches, Centre Wellington positions itself as a proactive, well-equipped community capable of fostering sustainable growth for the long term.

Recommendations

1. Invest in expanding organizational capacity for economic development and tourism initiatives, including staffing, tools, and financial resources.
2. Establish an Internal Working Group (EDTS Working Group), including leadership from various Township departments, to foster ongoing collaboration, align efforts and maximize the impact of EDTS implementation.
3. Implement a Municipal Tax Accommodation.
4. Enhance economic development and tourism data collection.

Centre Wellington is poised for significant growth, both in population and employment. This growth presents a unique opportunity for existing businesses to expand and new ventures to emerge, creating jobs and addressing gaps in the local marketplace that serve the community.

Economic growth in Centre Wellington involves more than job creation; it requires strengthening the capacity of local businesses to scale, innovate, and stay competitive. The township benefits from a well-established business support network and a diverse economy, with key sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, construction, tourism, and agriculture— most of which are experiencing growth. Research shows that communities with a diverse economic base and strong innovation networks are better able to withstand economic downturns and external disruptions.

Building economic resilience is important in these uncertain times, which depends on collaboration across sectors and targeted capacity-building. External pressures—including trade uncertainty, global economic shifts, labour shortages, and climate change—underscore the need for a strategic approach to economic resilience. Given current geopolitical uncertainty, such as tariffs on Canadian exports, Centre Wellington must prioritize the expansion of local business support services, innovation, supply chain diversification, and investment attraction to reduce dependence on single markets and increase economic stability. To do so, several of Centre Wellington’s key sectors—especially manufacturing—must look beyond traditional markets. As such, it is essential to support businesses in adopting Industry 4.0 technologies that enhance their productivity, leverage regional partnerships, and secure alternative trade partners. Looking ahead, strategic investments in business support and innovation will allow Centre Wellington to remain an attractive location for business and investment, fostering a resilient economy that is positioned to withstand future challenges.

Recommendations

1. Work with partners to raise the profile of small business and entrepreneurship opportunities available to the community.
2. Undertake a regular business visitation program to monitor the health and needs of the business community.
3. Work with partners to enhance and promote virtual and in-person resources to help businesses in Centre Wellington start, grow, thrive, and innovate.
4. Establish a meaningful relationship with the Elora Research Station and the University of Guelph to capitalize on student interest in the agricultural sector, research activities and the desire to better connect to the local and regional community.

A sustainable local workforce is essential for Centre Wellington’s business retention, expansion and long-term economic growth. In an increasingly competitive labour market, talent is drawn to communities that offer a high quality of life, including a welcoming environment, desirable employment opportunities, affordable living, and the ability to integrate and build a future.

Retaining youth and newcomers is also vital for bolstering a community’s economic development. Youth often struggle to identify career prospects in rural areas and lack connection to the local community, increasing their chances of leaving with no intention of returning. Newcomer attraction and retention play a key role in bolstering local workforces, but many struggle to integrate into communities and maximize the use of their skills. By focusing on retaining these groups, communities encourage a dynamic workforce and sustained economic vitality. Addressing workforce and livability challenges positions Centre Wellington as a destination of choice for both residents and businesses.

Recommendations

1. Work with partners to expand and advocate for increased local, regional and inter-urban transit connections, and into Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo.
2. Dedicate resources to support the development of workforce attainable housing, through the promotion of financial incentives and education.
3. Implement strategies that foster equity and belonging within the community.
4. Invest in creating paths and spaces for youth to build tangible connections to the community and employers, as well as contribute to a leadership role in developing the Centre Wellington of tomorrow.
5. Create and enhance connections to post-secondary institutions to encourage employers to utilize cooperative education (co-op) and internship talent.

The Township must be prepared to welcome and support provincially mandated economic and employment growth. Positioning the community to be “investment ready,” and having the needed infrastructure to support business is pivotal to economic development and tourism.

Robust infrastructure—including space for operations, utilities, transportation and digital connectivity—facilitates efficient business operations, reduces costs and enhances access to markets. Straightforward and accessible planning and building processes present a business-friendly attitude to support businesses as they invest in the community and ensure new development meets community needs. In the context of tourism, well-developed infrastructure enhances visitor experiences by providing reliable transportation, quality accommodations, and modern amenities, increasing a destination’s appeal.

Attracting investment is a key component of economic development, as it stimulates job creation, enhances infrastructure and fosters innovation. Strategic investment attraction becomes particularly critical when land and space availability is limited. In such scenarios—as is true in Centre Wellington— communities must prioritize sectors that offer high economic returns and align with existing resources. Incentives found in the Township’s Community Improvement Plan (CIP) could serve to stimulate investment into new and underutilized properties to support the development of an ongoing supply of space to support commercial and industrial business development.

Overarchingly, taking a strategic approach to preparing the community to welcome the most impactful investment will serve the Township’s interest.

Recommendations

1. Explore and advocate for mechanisms to improve industrial and commercial infrastructure provision within the township. This includes the internet, cell signal, hydro, roads, bridges and natural gas.
2. Facilitate the development of spaces for new and expanding commercial and industrial businesses to locate, including the development of commercial and industrial malls. Base these decisions on the identified needs of the business community.
3. Improve communications on planning and business processes, and the Community Improvement Plan (CIP) to the business community.
4. Undertake targeted retail, service and entertainment investment attraction to meet community needs.

Destination development refers to “the strategic planning and advancement of defined areas to support the evolution of desirable destinations for travellers, with a focus on the supply side of tourism, by providing compelling experiences, quality infrastructure, and remarkable services to entice visitation.”25 It aims to foster a destination where visitors are compelled to stay and spend money in exchange for authentic visitor experiences that align with their interests and meet an exceptional standard of service.

For Centre Wellington, this means addressing current gaps in collaboration, infrastructure, and experience development to promote tourism growth that is sustainable, equitable, and beneficial for both visitors and residents.

Experience development—a component of destination development—is a particular area of need in Centre Wellington. Whether supporting existing businesses, fostering entrepreneurship, attracting investors or developing new tourism products, an important priority for Centre Wellington moving forward is to expand its tourism offerings. This approach deepens the economic impact of tourism and alleviates pressure on overcrowded hotspots by distributing visitors more evenly across the township and throughout the year. The EDTS emphasizes four specific areas of focus for experience development in the township, specifically: nature.

Recommendations

1. Explore opportunities to expand the Elora-Fergus Downtown Shuttle Program, and pilot shuttle service connecting the downtowns to primary visitor markets.
2. Implement creative visitor management tactics to curb overtourism and mitigate the challenges tourism brings to Centre Wellington's urban centres.
3. Dedicate resources to enhanced tourism experience development, in partnership with local stakeholders in urban and rural areas.
4. Activate the Fergus Grand Theatre as a tourism asset while enhancing its role as a driver of arts and culture in the community.
5. Continue to invest in regenerative and sustainable tourism initiatives.

To understand the purpose of investing in placemaking and its connection to effective tourism and economic development, one must first understand exactly what “placemaking” is. In Place matters: The role of placemaking in economic development, authors write, “...The most widely understood definition of placemaking is the practice of creating or enhancing a community’s assets to improve its overall attractiveness and livability. This includes large-scale projects such as the creation of public spaces and alternative transportation infrastructure, but also small-scale efforts such as pop-up retail and downtown beautification.”

At its core, placemaking strengthens the relationship between people and place, fostering spaces that are vibrant, inclusive, and reflective of the community’s identity. Successful placemaking efforts are informed by the community and capitalize on unique local assets to improve public spaces in ways that serve cultural, social, and economic objectives such as “the promotion of public discourse, civic pride, neighbourhood connections, community health and safety, social justice, economic development, and environmental sustainability, to name a few.” These initiatives integrate arts & culture, green spaces, mixed-use development, and recreation to create meaningful experiences. By designing spaces that reflect local values, placemaking deepens residents’ sense of belonging, strengthens social cohesion and fosters a shared sense of stewardship, which is particularly important in regenerative, sustainable development.

Recommendations

1. Implement a strategy to define and pilot placemaking projects to activate public spaces, helping to strengthen the social fabric, highlight local entrepreneurs, and provide platforms for storytelling and connection to a culturally diversifying community.
2. Define and pilot placemaking projects to foster a sense of connection between Fergus, Elora and Belwood downtowns.
3. Continue to invest in Township support for local festivals and events.
4. Invest in a Placemaking Strategy for Centre Wellington.

Brand identity, marketing and communications represent a strategy through which to engage residents, local entrepreneurs and businesses, as well as prospective residents, entrepreneurs, and investors. These interconnected activities play a primary role for a destination in:

• Shaping the perception of the community;
• Building a brand reputation;
• Attracting visitors, residents and investors; and
• Influencing how locals and non-locals alike interact with any given place.

These tactics are also important on a local level for information-sharing and engagement with local and regional businesses, and fostering buy-in and participation in Township-led initiatives among residents.

Ultimately, brand identity and marketing are essential to bringing economic development and tourism initiatives forward, taking Township-led initiatives and connecting them to a need and narrative, appealing to specific audiences. This work plants the seeds that drive interest in the destination. For that reason, the EDTS refers to a “destination brand,” combining brand requirements from an economic development and tourism perspective, though activating the destination brand may be different.

Recommendations

1. Investigate developing a destination brand, separate from the Centre Wellington corporate brand, to promote the destination for economic development and tourism purposes.
2. Invest in enhancing Centre Wellington's tourism-focused storytelling, visitor information and marketing assets & resources.
3. Invest in dedicated economic development storytelling and marketing assets.
4. Develop and implement comprehensive economic development and tourism marketing plans on an annual basis, relying on earned and paid tactics.
5. Invest in community-focused communication initiatives & marketing campaigns to foster understanding and buy-in to key Township initiatives, strengthen communication channels and nurture welcoming environments.