Business Resource Portal

Spend your money where it matters the most. By supporting your local businesses you support your community.

Your dollars stay in the community and help local jobs, development, community culture and create more walkable and livable neighbourhoods.

Think Local and Support Local. Here's how:

• Support your favourite restaurant, toy stores, flower shop, bookstore or clothing boutique.
• Purchase from local online stores. You would be surprised who has artisan sites online. 
• Purchase gift cards from your favourite hair or nail salon, spa, babysitter or hardware store. It doesn't have to be much, but a $10 gift card purchased from many people in the community can go a long way. Offer gift cards to your family, friends and staff. 
• Share on your social media news of your most beloved menu or gift item with your friends and family, being sure to tag the retailer or restaurant. Give the gift of awareness generously. 
• Call and check-in on your favourite store or local service provider and ask them how you can best support them at this time. They may have expanded their offerings or are able to work with you to find new products they do not normally offer. Also, it is a nice thing to let business owners know that they matter. 
• Continue to hire your regular cleaner, landscaper or dog sitting service.
• Attend a virtual class. Many of your local gyms, tutors, yoga instructors, coaches, financial planners, music instructors as many of them have modified programs and have moved services online.   
• If you can afford to, give a tip to your service workers.
• If programs are cancelled, consider making a donation to organizations and charities who do good work in your community. As well, consider lending a helping hand and offer some of your time. 
• If you are a business owner, reach out to your competitors and open discussions on how to support one another - and to support your local industry.
• If you learn of a unique promotion or program idea elsewhere, share your discovery with your favourite businesses and challenge them to start it locally.
• Challenge yourself to discover new brands and products from new businesses in your community. 
• Ask your local business about loyalty programs as a means of getting you back on a more regular basis. Win-win!
• Follow up with that local review you were meaning to get around to from that amazing service you received that one time.
• The pandemic does not need to be boring. We are all adjusting to the new world. Challenge you and your partner or friend to create a new date night or hang out. How can you make a socially-distanced occasion interesting while at the same time supporting your local businesses?
• Sign up for newsletters to your favourite stores and be in the know when new deals and products are rolled out. 

If you have other great ideas on how to support our local business community that you think we should add to this list, let us know.

Economic Impact Reports

• 05/2020 - Economic Impact Report
• 02/2021 - Economic Impact Report

Employment Ontario

Employment Ontario helps job seekers, workers and employers with advice, grants and other services around public and private sector employment. Local Employment Ontario Centres include Career Solutions in Wasaga Beach and Tracks Employment and Resource Services in Collingwood. They can assist with creating a resume to helping you put a job search plan into action. 

Magnet

Co-founded by Ryerson University and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, Magnet is a non-profit digital social innovation platform with a mission to accelerate inclusive economic growth in Canada. Magnet currently supports an interconnected network of 1.1 million job seekers and students, 97 post-secondary institutions, 516,000 employer accounts, over 100 chambers and industry associations, and 450 community organizations across Canada.

Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board

The Simcoe Muskoka Workforce Development Board is a community directed, non-profit corporation that acts as a neutral broker, sourcing, conducting and distributing labour market research as well as engaging and facilitating community stakeholders in workforce development activities. 

Work In Simcoe County Job Portal

The Made In Simcoe Job Portal is an interactive tool featuring job opportunities, local resources, career exploration tools and local success stories. Tap into the local labour market and advertise your employment opportunities. 

This website aggregates job listings from over 20 websites including popular sites like Indeed and Workopolis that represent multiple sectors and communities within the County of Simcoe. This alleviates local employers from having to enter their job postings on multiple sites, as well as job seekers having to search a variety of platforms to search for local opportunities.

Business Development Centre

The Business Development Centre is here to support and advise businesses during COVID-19. They will answer questions, help make sense of new information coming down from the provincial and federal governments and provide advice on how to manage through these challenging times. 

Centre for Business and Economic Development

The Centre for Business and Economic Development offers free targeted coaching and advice by telephone or video conferencing as well as information for businesses seeking financing.

Small Business Enterprise Centre

The Small Business Enterprise Centre offers free consultations by phone as well as informational webinars and digital advice. They also look after the Digital Main Street program locally. 

• Digital Service Squad Menu

Town of Wasaga Beach Economic Development 

The Town of Wasaga Beach Economic Development office offers free consultations on business supports including navigating municipal business licensing and approvals, partnership resources, financial resources, as well as recommendations on economic recovery for businesses and entrepreneurs. 

Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce

The Wasaga Beach Chamber of Commerce offers free consultations by phone as well as informational webinars and business-related networking events. 

For More Information on Managing Financial Hardship

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada has put together a guide to assist those who are worried about the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on your finances. Click here​​​​​

Please contact your elected officials directly with any questions you may have on federal and provincial programs.

See What the Experts Are Saying..

• Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis
• Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses
• CIBC Economics
• BMO Economics
• RBC Economics
• TD Economics