Caledon Chamber of Commerce Partnership Strategy, Humber River Centre
Purpose of Project
In February 2024, the Town of Caledon opened the newly revitalized Humber River Centre (HRC) in Downtown Bolton. The new facility transformed an old Fire Hall into a state-of-the-art community and business support services hub. The facility’s opening exemplifies community collaboration, with the renovation funded through support from the Government of Canada, contributing up to $7.7M.
To launch business services, the Town of Caledon formed a working group with key economic development partners, including the Caledon Chamber of Commerce, Jobs Caledon, Small Business Enterprise Centres in Orangeville and Brampton, and the Caledon Public Library to deliver joint programming in the new building.
In addition, the Town formalized a Council-approved Caledon Chamber of Commerce Partnership Strategy to support the organization’s re-establishment in the community and enhance service delivery at the HRC. The Partnership Strategy spans two-years and includes dedicated office space on the main floor with discounted lease rates, together with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) which includes budget for joint programming.
Effectiveness / Meeting Objectives
The Town’s partnership approach to service delivery has been highly successful, early success metrics include:
- Caledon Chamber of Commerce’s office opening
- 12 Chamber-led events with 140 attendees hosted at the HRC
- An increase in more than 50 new Chamber members
The Town and partners have hosted more than 50 business and community events, including a multi-employer job fair with 23 businesses and 600 job seekers. HRC is home to 12 new coworking members.
Challenges & Changes Made
The partnership approach was developed in response to a challenge many municipalities face – limited Town resourcing to deliver services in the new facility. Through community collaboration, the Town was able to deliver services that leveraged existing expertise and created centralized access for small businesses in the community.
The project also addressed financial constraints facing the Caledon Chamber’s re-establishment. Through discounted lease rates and SLA funding, the Town was able to contribute to the scale-up of this important organization while providing cost-effective service delivery to Caledon business-owners.
Target Audience
The Partnership Strategy supports small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and entrepreneurs in Caledon. This delivers on a key priority of the Town’s Economic Development Strategy to support an entrepreneurial and small business economy. Future service delivery expansion plans include a focus on tailored support services for newcomers and youth.
Sustainability
The Partnership Strategy was developed with an aim towards sustainable service delivery at the HRC. The two-year term provides scale-up funding to the Chamber, to set the organization up to be self-sustaining once complete. Collaboration with economic development partners in delivering services in the new facility will offset cost on the tax base and generate facility rental revenue. The partnership supports the growth of existing organizations, creating opportunities for collaboration and shared promotions as we work together to deliver business support services.
Financial Implications
The total financial implications of the two-year Caledon Chamber partnership agreement include waived lease revenue and Economic Development budget support of the Service Level Agreement. The Town’s commitment over the two-year term totals $30,625, which includes approximately $10,625 in waived lease revenue and $20,000 in service delivery support.
