Nearly 50 percent of businesses surveyed in the Business Retention and Expansion Project are planning to expand in the next 18 months in North Grenville.
That was a key finding in a survey released through the project.
A total of 84 local business owners and operators were able to complete the survey earlier this year. Forty-seven percent of businesses said they were planning to expand in the next 18 months, up from a 2010 survey that found 43 percent planned to do the same over a three year period.
Ninety-one percent of the businesses that plan to expand or relocate within the community expect to include an increase to their workforce. The survey projects 85 new jobs over the next 18 months through its findings.
Business owners were also asked what the municipality should focus on over the next five years. The top answer was the redevelopment of Kemptville College, followed by downtown revitalization.
The survey outlines a potential action plan to tackle some of the issues brought forth by business owners during the exercise. North Grenville Economic Development Coordinator Matt Gilmer says the action items were split into themes.
After some questions from council, CAO Brian Carré suggested a Q&A session take place to allow residents, stakeholders and council members to ask more questions about the survey results.
You can see the full report by looking at the North Grenville Committee of the Whole agenda for Tuesday, September 5th here.
