Dufferin County

Why is Dufferin the place for your business?

 

Dufferin County boasts many competitive advantages that will help your business succeed, but our most unique asset is our people. Dufferin County is home to generational families who settled this land and newcomers to Dufferin and to Canada. This rich diversity combined with the natural beauty of the area, it’s competitive housing and land prices and our proximity to the 8 million people who live within 160 km of Dufferin makes a winning combination not readily matched in other regions in the  Greater Golden Horseshoe. Browse through our site for more information or call our office for more help.

Dufferin County’s Competitive Advantages

  • Excellent quality of life with abundant health care, recreational and social opportunities
  • Three vibrant urban centres that cater to your every need
  • Family oriented community; 27% of residents are under 19, 60% are 20-64
  • Average household income of over $94,000
  • Rapid growth across sectors with over $170 million in construction value in 2014
  • Over 8 million people live within a 160 km radius, including the Greater Toronto Area
  • World-class access to markets; located one day’s trucking distance to more than 60% of Canadian market, 1 hour drive from Pearson International Airport
  • Home to cultural icons, museums, galleries and accomplished artists in all disciplines
  • A diverse growing agri-business sector, including a thriving equine industry and a burgeoning local food sector
  • Prime agricultural land including the prized Honeywood loam, a class 1 soil
  • A wide selection of industrial, commercial and retail properties available, or ready for development

 

Dufferin County Council consists of 13 members representing eight municipalities. Each municipality in Dufferin is represented at County Council by their elected representatives. These representatives are Mayors and Deputy Mayors as determined by eligible voters in the municipality. The head of council is the Warden, who is elected from among council members by council.
As an upper-tier municipality, the County delivers services to all residents within the County under the following departments;

  • social services
  • building and bylaw
  • senior services
  • emergency management (including ambulance)
  • waste management
  • roads and infrastructure

Other services such as libraries and parks and recreation are delivered by the lower tier municipalities. Please visit the individual municipality’s website for information. For more information on County services or Council proceedings, please visit the County of Dufferin’s website at www.dufferincounty.ca

The following data is comprised of Statistics Canada National Household Survey 2011 and  Analyst (several data set):

Population (Source: 2015 Analyst Data – EMSI 2015.1)60,073
% of population ages 15 and over82.70%
Total private dwellings21,257
Population density per square kilometre40.4
Land area1486.31km2

 

Educational Attainment (from 2011 National Household Survey)
Total population 15 years and over (From Analyst 2015.1)49,067
No certificate, diploma or degree8,900
High school certificate or equivalent14, 365
Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma4,410
College, CEGEP or other non-university certificate or diploma10, 345
University certificate or diploma or degree7,140
Labour Force Activity (National Household Survey and Analyst Data)
Employed29,665
Unemployed2,250
Not in work force13, 250
Average Earnings$41,800
Primary Occupations (2014 Analyst EMSI 2014.3)
Secondary and elementary school teachers and educational counselors867
Retail salespersons and sales clerks855
Contractors, operators and supervisors in agriculture, horticulture and aquaculture821
Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related occupations637
Cleaners610
Paralegals, social services workers and occupations in education and religion, n.e.c.593
Assisting occupations in support of health services563
Managers in retail trade544
Sales and service supervisors531
Cashiers516
Top Employment Industries (by NAICS) (Analyst (EMSI 2014.3)Number of Jobs
44-45 Retail trade3,522
62 Health Care & Social Assistance2,982
72 Accommodation and food services2,194
31-33 Manufacturing2,182
23 Construction1,630
81 Other services (except public administration)1,535
61 Educational Services1,342
56 Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services1,341
54 Professional, scientific and technical services1,165
11 Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting1,150