Cornwall Celebrating Economic Development Week
May 4, 2026Cornwall Ontario – Communities worldwide are participating in Economic Development Week celebrations, and Cornwall is no exception.
In Canada, local economic development efforts are most often funded by municipal governments. The City of Cornwall has had a formal Economic Development Department for over 50 years and Cornwall City Council continues to make it a strategic priority. The United Counties of SDG also has a dedicated economic development team, as does Akwesasne and most area townships.
Cornwall’s economy has grown significantly over the past several years, as the city facilitated major new developments such as the Michelin Distribution Centre, began construction of a major expansion of the Cornwall Business Park and welcomed dozens of new small businesses such as Chuck’s Roadhouse, Hello Istanbul and Baskin Robbins. You can learn more about these businesses – and more – on the News page. This activity has in turn sparked new residential development, such as the 160-unit new project by Swimko. Cornwall’s population is now estimated at over 54,000 people.
“Economic Development Week is a chance to recognize the local businesses, entrepreneurs, and community partners who help Cornwall prosper,” says Mayor Justin Towndale. “Council sees economic development as a priority, and we’re focused on creating the conditions for businesses to succeed—whether that means supporting existing companies or attracting new ones. It’s all about building a strong local economy, together.”
Upcoming Events
The following are upcoming events related to Economic Development over the next few weeks:
- May 20 – Mayor’s Update Breakfast
- May 28 – EDCO Regional Summit
- June 2 – Funders Forum
Cornwall Economic Development
Cornwall Economic Development works to facilitate the growth of the local economy, including efforts aimed at industrial, small business and tourism sectors, along with resident attraction. Department activities include:
- Marketing Cornwall to attract new investment, new residents and tourism activity
- Initial and direct point of contact for investors, developers, tourists and new residents
- Direct point of contact for business owners (small and large) in their efforts to grow and sustain their businesses
- Development, marketing and sale of land in the Cornwall Business Park, and support to other commercial/industrial real estate
- Advice and research activities related to short and long term, micro and macro economic issues
Local firms can take advantage of the Department’s resources and expertise to source the information and contacts necessary to succeed in today’s competitive global economy. Economic Development staff also work very closely with other City staff in planning, permits, municipal works and other departments to facilitate development.
The Department publishes the Cornwall Year in Review – an annual recap of economic development activity. Other reports, brochures and maps are available for download via the Resources page of this website.
The ChooseCornwall.ca website covers dozens of articles each year about businesses investing in Cornwall, along with a job board with available employment opportunities.
Cornwall SDG Business Enterprise Centre
The Cornwall SDG Business Enterprise Centre is funded by the Province of Ontario and operated by Cornwall Economic Development. Centre staff help small business owners and entrepreneurs to succeed – not just in Cornwall, but in Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry and Akwesasne as well. This includes managing programs such as Summer Company, Starter Company Plus and FoodPreneurAdvantage.
Cornwall Tourism
Cornwall Tourism works with local tourism stakeholders to welcome visitors to Cornwall and to facilitate the growth of the sector. These efforts are in turn supported by the Tourism Development Corporation of Cornwall which administers the Tourism Development Fund.
Community Improvement Programs
Cornwall’s Heart of the City and Brownfields Community Improvement Programs (CIP) support property owners looking to revitalize their properties.
Community Economic Development
Part of celebrating Economic Development Week is recognizing that the entire community must work together to achieve its goals. The following organizations support local economic development efforts:
- Cornwall Chamber of Commerce
- Downtown Cornwall BIA and Le Village BIA
- ACC Futures
- l’Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario SDG
- United Counties of SDG Economic Development
- Akwesasne Economic Development
- Eastern Ontario Training Board
- Job Zone d’emploi
- Social Development Council of Cornwall and Area
- St. Lawrence College
- Cornwall Community Hospital
- Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network
Regional Economic Development
Cornwall is a founding member of the Ontario East Economic Development Commission, which acts as the collective voice for economic development in Eastern Ontario. Local economic development efforts are ably supported by the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development Job Creation and Trade, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Invest Ontario and Invest Canada.
Connect with Us
Sign up for the Cornwall Economic Development newsletter to stay informed of local economic development news. Our newsletters gather the best articles from ChooseCornwall.ca along with upcoming events from Cornwall Tourism and the Business Enterprise Centre. You can also follow Cornwall Economic Development on social media via the following links:
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/ChooseCornwall
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/choose-cornwall/
About Economic Development Week
Economic Development Week is celebrated worldwide and was created by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to increase awareness of local programs that create jobs, advance career development opportunities, and improve quality of life.