Parry Sound & Muskoka Feature
Ground broken at Parry Sound Canadore campus
The groundbreaking of the new Parry Sound campus of Canadore College marks the beginning of construction of the permanent home for the area's college students.
Parry Sound & Muskoka News
Seeds of success – on cruise control
Ontario's tourism industry may have taken a five-year beating since the summer of SARS, but Parry Sound's Island Queen Cruise just keeps sailing right along.
Here they grow againParry Sound Area Municipal Airport continues to be a bee hive of activity with new businesses arriving and more expansion plans in the works.
Independent spirit An independent film maker with Parry Sound roots found cottage country to be a wellspring of inspiration.
Parry Sound lands funding for permanent Canadore satellite campusThe Georgian Bay community's long wait for a permanent branch campus of North Bay's Canadore College will become reality with news of a $6.2 million investment from Ottawa and Queen's Park.
Parry Sound & Muskoka Community Profile
Change is the name of the game for the economic infrastructure of the town of Parry Sound.
The town has several upcoming projects to diversify its economy while maintaining its emphasis on tourism.
“Over the past couple of years, there’s been a tremendous change in the economic climate,” says Mayor Ted Knight. “We’re trying to build on tourism while at the same time diversify our economy.”
One such endeavour is the planned redevelopment of the James Street hospital site, which will be turned into an apartment complex/retail store site. The town is also seeing its largest housing development in the past 15 years come to fruition, as well as the development of condominiums on the south shore of the inner harbour.
Knight says the town is working closely with Canadore College to try to bring skilled trade workers to Parry Sound, which will in turn help several small businesses that need those workers to grow.
Lynn Middaugh, who is in charge of economic development for Parry Sound, says that light manufacturing industries are what the town is looking for.
“We want something that is compatible with our natural environment, because that’s what we’re all about,” she says.
The town has several upcoming projects to diversify its economy while maintaining its emphasis on tourism.
“Over the past couple of years, there’s been a tremendous change in the economic climate,” says Mayor Ted Knight. “We’re trying to build on tourism while at the same time diversify our economy.”
One such endeavour is the planned redevelopment of the James Street hospital site, which will be turned into an apartment complex/retail store site. The town is also seeing its largest housing development in the past 15 years come to fruition, as well as the development of condominiums on the south shore of the inner harbour.
Knight says the town is working closely with Canadore College to try to bring skilled trade workers to Parry Sound, which will in turn help several small businesses that need those workers to grow.
Lynn Middaugh, who is in charge of economic development for Parry Sound, says that light manufacturing industries are what the town is looking for.
“We want something that is compatible with our natural environment, because that’s what we’re all about,” she says.
| Quick Facts | 2007 Municipal Tax Rates |
| Population - 5,818 www.town.parry-sound.on.ca Location - 225 km north of Toronto Main industry - tourism |
Commercial rate - 0.0515 Industrial occupied - 0.0398 |
| Target Growth Areas | Real Estate |
Telecommunications - IT |
Average cost of a 4-bedroom executive house - $237,000 |
| Developments for 2008 | Top 5 Employers |
Waterfront development |
West Parry Sound Health Center Fowler Construction Metro Ontario Inc. Camp Manitou Rocky Crest Golf Resort |
