Canada, is a growing country, and many of our skilled and knowledgeable workers are approaching retirement and leaving the labour force Our businesses and organizations are also growing to meet these demands and adapt to a global economy. This growth and evolution of the labour force presents tremendous opportunity for the next generation of job seekers who have the skills and education to fill job vacancies and adapt to new positions..
In 2016, the Canadian population grew by 5% since 2011. Ontario grew by 4.6%, and Simcoe County grew by 7.5%, exceeding both the national and provincial average (Statistics Canada, 2016 Census).
Some of the municipalities in Simcoe County grew by as much as 14 – 26%.
There are four distinct economic areas in Simcoe County. South Simcoe, the area closest to the GTA, is invested heavily in both automotive manufacturing and agriculture. Honda Canada has two plants in Alliston, and a number of Tier II and III suppliers exist in this area of the County. West Simcoe is heavily invested in the tourism industry:
Wasaga Beach is a magnet for tourists during the summer months, and
Collingwood's resorts serve the ski and golf industries year round.
The City of Barrie maintains a strong manufacturing and warehousing base, and is the central retail district for the area. Additionally, the City is establishing a position in data management centres with the Bank of Montreal and TD Bank as recent additions to this growing industry. IBM has recently announced intentions to build a 210 M research facility in Barrie.
The Royal Victoria Regional Care Centre is under expansion, including the development of a new regional cancer care facility.
The City of Orillia has established a niche in post-secondary education, with the establishment of a Lakehead University campus and the provincial training centre for the Ontario Provincial Police. OPP Headquarters are also stationed in Orillia. Adjacent to Orillia, the
Township of Ramara is home to Casino Rama, a major tourist attraction.
To learn more about our regional economy visit our
Economic Development Office website.
Listed below are some occupations expected to increase to meet business needs over the next few years.
Projected Occupational Growth in Education Related Fields -Simcoe County) |
Occupation |
2017 Jobs |
2024 Jobs |
Change |
% Change |
Registered Nurse and Registered Psychiatric Nurses |
4,110 |
4,477 |
367 |
9% |
Transportation |
3,647 |
3,868 |
221 |
6% |
Sales and Account Representatives ; wholesale trade |
3,419 |
3,667 |
248 |
7% |
Nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
3,095 |
3,332 |
238 |
8% |
Retail Sales Supervisors |
2,594 |
2,876 |
282 |
11% |
Administrative Officers |
2,574 |
2,828 |
254 |
10% |
Early Childhood Educators and Assistants |
2,424 |
2,609 |
185 |
8% |
Construction trades |
2,332 |
2,615 |
283 |
12% |
Customer and Information Services |
2,342 |
2,491 |
150 |
6% |
Financial Auditors and Accountants |
2,286 |
2,485 |
199 |
9% |
Social and Community Service Workers |
2,157 |
2,422 |
265 |
12% |
Secondary and Elementary school teachers and educational counsellors
|
2,516 |
2,650 |
134 |
5% |
Cooks |
2,110 |
2,201 |
90 |
4% |
Accounting technicians and bookkeepers |
2,093 |
2,161 |
68 |
3% |
Elementary and secondary school teacher assistants |
1,434 |
1,564 |
130 |
9% |
Information systems analysts and consultants |
1,358 |
1,484 |
125 |
9% |
Contractors and supervisors, construction |
1,368 |
1,478 |
110 |
8% |
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing, and public relations |
1,181 |
1,330 |
148 |
13% |
Construction Millwrights and Industrial mechanics |
1,250 |
1,331 |
80 |
6% |
Electricians (residential, commercial) |
1,231 |
1,315 |
84 |
7% |
Contractors and Supervisors, mechanic trades |
1,062 |
1,134 |
71 |
7% |
Computer Programmers and interactive media Developers |
1,018 |
1,083 |
65 |
6% |
Accommodation Managers |
852 |
941 |
89 |
10% |
Computer Network Technicians |
657 |
726 |
70 |
11% |
Supervisors, finance and insurance |
576 |
662 |
85 |
15% |
Human Resources Managers |
479 |
546 |
67 |
14% |
Other Professional Engineers (n.e.c.) |
439 |
505 |
66 |
15% |
Electrical and electronics engineering technologists and technicians |
402 |
484 |
82 |
20% |
|
|
|
|
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*Source: Emsi Q3 2016 Data Set/www.economicmodeling.com
Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development
Simcoe County supports its students with entrepreneurial ideas and small business development process. If you are wondering how to establish a small business in Canada, start by visiting
Henry Bernick Entrepreneurship Centre at Georgian College, where you can find information on business loans, funding resources, community business events, local business news, and how to get your business started.