Less elbow power, more brain power, consultant tells Stouffville economic summit
Jim Mason

Whitchurch-Stouffville is a highly educated community that should be targeting new “knowledge-based” businesses, niche agriculture and environmental operations and not-for-profits.

The proposal is in the final draft of the town’s new economic development strategy written by consultants Miller Dickinson Blais Inc.

It was shared with 40 business leaders, including developers, land owners and bankers, at the second annual mayor’s economic round table in Gormley Monday.

Brock Dickinson, a partner in the consulting firm, said new economies will be “less reliant on elbow power and more reliant on brain power”. He quoted extensively from University of Toronto planning guru and author Richard Florida.

That new look suits Whitchurch-Stouffville where a quarter of residents 35 and older have at least one university degree ­— that’s slightly higher than in Waterloo — and 30 per cent of adults under 35 are degree holders.

The number of residents commuting to work in Toronto, Markham and Newmarket has dropped during the last five years, he said.

Incomes are rising more quickly in Whitchurch-Stouffville than anywhere in York Region except for King, he said.

“People are launching companies here and staying close to home,” he said. “There are some very exciting things already happening with this community becoming a centre of this creative class economy (as predicted by Mr. Florida).”

The target areas include:

• Small knowledge-based businesses, including companies working in architecture, engineering, graphics and the Internet.

• Larger firms, of at least 25 workers, in the same category, including software developers and high-end call centres.  Markham, which is home to several of the companies, is running out of appropriate space. The 404 corridor could be a prime location.

• Agricultural firms, including organic farms and operations catering to people who want to eat local produce, were suggested. Environmental remediation companies, which clean soil and water, were also mentioned.

• Not-for-profits are a $29 billion annual industry in Canada, Mr. Dickinson said. He cited CBM and Emmanuel International as local success stories in the field.

“Nobody else is working to recruit this sector,” he said. The town will also welcome more traditional businesses, he said. The strategy still has to be adopted by town council.

The town needs more hotels and restaurants, especially in the Gormley area, business representatives told the meeting.

Town CAO Dave Cash said economic inquiries have tempered with the economy this year, but interest remains high in the Hwy. 404 and Stouffville Road area of Gormley. Supplying water and sewer to the rural neighbourhood remains a challenge.

The town hopes to help downtown Stouffville landowners improve their properties through a new program, he said.

“We’re somewhat disappointed,” Mayor Wayne Emmerson said of commercial growth to the gathering. “It’s not moving as quickly as we thought. Residential is going well, but we need your help.”

By the numbers

• 12,000 was the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville’s population in 1982;
• 24,000 was the population in 2004;
• 32,000 is the current population;
• 36,800 is the projected population for 2011.