Parry Sound.

The City of Parry Sound recently approved a two-to-three-year business plan for council's key strategic direction in economic growth.

Their priorities are to strengthen business partnerships, introduce a telecommunications industry, capitalize on the education sector and develop the waterfront, thereby encouraging business and employment growth.

Strategies

1) The in-town Business Park, located on North Tudhope Street, adjacent to the proposed Hwy 400 interchange is now complete. Although private industry owns the property, township representatives are working together to attract light-manufacturing businesses that will benefit from its location and bring year-round employment.

2) The town has received two serious inquiries from telecommunications centres wanting to locate in the area. However, the constraint lies with limited vacant buildings. The Parry Sound council works in a facilitative role with Bell Site Selectors for the attraction of call centres and it is expected to have one centre in town within two to three years.

3) Parry Sound is looking to purchase waterfront land from the Ontario Realty Corp. for the purpose of potential hotel and condominium development. This is the first phase in their plan to attract contractors to the area. Marinas, lodges and resorts already exist along the waterfront, however, boutiques and restaurants, along with docking facilities will be forthcoming with the intent of attracting or servicing tourists.

4) Council representatives have been meeting with Canadore College in hopes to establish a satellite campus in Parry Sound. Combined with Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology and Laurentian University programs, the town intends to take advantage of its post-secondary opportunities by initiating two training sessions through the Business Retention and Expansion program. These sessions will focus on enhancing the skills-capacity in the labour force.

With a total population of 15,000 the Town of Parry Sound blossoms to 75,000 in the summer months.

PARRY SOUND LABOUR FORCE BY INDUSTRY
Statistics Canada 2001 Census of Labour Force

Mining                            0
Agriculture                      10
Manufacturing                   180
Construction                    240

Selected Services
Finance & Insurance              60
Real Estate                      65
Wholesale Trade                  30
Retail Trade                    575
Transportation                  120
Professional & Scientific       105
Health Care                     530
Total                         2,975
Males                         1,505
Females                       1,465

CITY STATISTICS

Population                     6,120
Average family income        $54,220
Average price of 4-bedroom
executive house              180,000
Average price of 3-bedroom
standard house              $125,000
Telecommunications
infrastructure              Digital switching, Internet, ADSL speed,
                            local IP, fibre optics
Major private-sector
employers                   Fowler Construction (300 employees)
                            A & P Food Stores (184)
                            Tele-Tech (1,100)
                            Hammond Transportation (140)
Major public-sector
employers                   West Parry Sound Health Centre (622)
                            Near North District School Brd (280)
                            Town of Parry Sound (75)