Owen Sound Hosts Successful Development Dialogue with Key Industry Leaders

The City of Owen Sound hosted the Owen Sound Development Dialogue at the Georgian College campus on Tuesday, June 25. The two-hour morning event brought together 29 key stakeholders, including regional and local residential and commercial developers and leading organizations such as Bruce Power, TC Energy, Nuclear Innovation Institute (NII), Georgian College, and Owen Sound's Hydrogen Optimized.  

The event was organized with the goal to better align future residential and commercial development with economic growth and workforce housing needs in Owen Sound. 

Event Highlights: 

The event included a series of expert presentations and discussions, starting with Georgian College. Dave Shorey, Executive Director of the Owen Sound Campus, shared that the College offers programs aligned with the local economy's needs. These programs include specialized training in clean energy, healthcare, technology, and other sectors critical to regional development. 

Next, the Nuclear Innovation Institute provided insights into the economic impacts of the clean energy sector. Their presentation detailed the economic benefits that clean energy projects bring to the region, such as job creation and investment opportunities. This highlighted the importance of new residential and commercial projects to support an expanding workforce. The clean energy sector has been identified as a significant driver of job creation in the region, supporting 22,000 direct and indirect jobs annually. 

Following this, TC Energy and Bruce Power discussed their current and proposed future projects, providing insights on future employment and workforce requirements. The event concluded with Mayor Boddy emphasizing the importance of ongoing communication and collaboration to foster sustainable growth and development in the region. 

Future Steps: 

As the City of Owen Sound actively works toward shaping its growth, the city will continue to engage closely with the development community and local industry.

For more information, please contact Paul McGrath, Manager of Community and Business Development at 519-376-4440 ext. 1254 or email pmcgrath@owensound.ca

Quotes:
“Events like the Owen Sound Development Dialogue are instrumental in bringing together regional and local developers with major industry stakeholders. These discussions are vital for aligning our development plans with the anticipated economic and demographic shifts.” 
– Mayor Ian Boddy

-30-