Caledon Entrepreneur FAM Tour & RBC Open Event
In June 2025, the Town of Caledon Economic Development Office hosted an informative and immersive tour designed to showcase the community’s investment potential to entrepreneurs. The Caledon Entrepreneur FAM Tour was held in partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University’s DMZ to introduce 15 startup founders to Caledon’s business opportunities, economic strengths, and lifestyle offerings. The event was planned to leverage Caledon’s first time as host municipality to the RBC Canadian Open, providing an added draw for participants and a premier networking opportunity.
The tour aligned with the launch of the Humber River Centre Business Incubator, powered by DMZ—a new initiative offering 15 local entrepreneurs tailored support, mentorship, and access to a growing innovation network. The event helped promote Caledon as a welcoming and well-resourced destination for startups.
The day began at the Humber River Centre in downtown Bolton with a welcome presentation and facility tour. Entrepreneurs were introduced to the full range of services offered by Caledon’s Economic Development Office, including market research, development assistance, employment land data, business support programs, and funding opportunities. Attendees also learned about the broader Humber Centre Business Support Services Working Group—a network of partners providing wraparound support to local businesses.
The group then participated in a guided FAM (familiarization) tour of key investment areas in Caledon, including Bolton, Tullamore, and Mayfield West. The tour also highlighted prominent community features such as the Cheltenham Badlands and Brampton-Caledon Airport. Along the way, Town staff shared insights into Caledon’s high-growth sectors—advanced manufacturing, food and agriculture, logistics, construction, and professional services—as well as current development trends and population growth plans (300,000 residents and 125,000 jobs by 2051). For the housing- and real estate-focused startups in attendance, this provided valuable context and demonstrated alignment between Caledon’s needs and their business models.
The day concluded at the RBC Canadian Open, where attendees joined Town staff, Invest Ontario, the Caledon Chamber of Commerce, and other regional partners for a relaxed networking experience. This setting allowed for informal discussions, relationship-building, and a deeper understanding of Caledon’s vision as a hub for business growth and innovation.
This event marked a shift in how Caledon promotes investment opportunities—not just through printed materials, but through curated, real-world experiences. By combining a place-based tour with business networking and promotional storytelling, the Town created a meaningful and memorable encounter for high-potential entrepreneurs.
The Caledon Entrepreneur FAM Tour showcased the Town’s commitment to supporting innovation, promoting local assets, and building strong connections. It effectively advanced awareness of the Town’s new incubator program, highlighted priority investment areas, and reinforced Caledon’s position as a forward-thinking community that’s ready to grow with business. It also resulted in meaningful connections and possible future collaboration between the housing focused startups and Caledon’s Housing Accelerator project, which aims to increase housing development in Caledon to alleviate the housing affordability crisis.
Link to video and presentation created for the event: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Tex_4rU2m9x2tp8OLpgk9PJ1gYJzAbYg?usp=sharing
