Humber River Centre Open House
On May 15, 2025, during Economic Development Week, the Town of Caledon Economic Development Office hosted the Humber River Centre Open House. (Link to post reel for social: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/town-of-caledon_the-humber-river-centre-hrc-hosted-a-vibrant-activity-7334254823011217409-1Mfn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAAjnTzEBBy7VaeN1etbBqwGmOrUaeERlzTM) This milestone event celebrated a new partnership with Toronto Metropolitan University’s DMZ and brought together a wide range of business associations, regional partners, and entrepreneurs to showcase the Town’s commitment to entrepreneurship, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.
The Humber River Centre itself had only opened its doors in February 2024, making this sold-out event—with 90+ attendees—a testament to how quickly our business community is being built in Caledon. From the ground up, the Town and its partners have established a dynamic space where entrepreneurs, mentors, and support organizations can come together to drive innovation and business growth.
The event showcased the Centre’s suite of free business support services—from coworking and mentorship to marketing and funding guidance—while highlighting the launch of the Caledon Business Incubator, powered by DMZ, a first-of-its-kind initiative for Caledon that embeds one of Canada’s leading startup accelerators directly in the community.
What made the Open House a standout was its collaborative approach. The event featured a panel discussion with the Humber River Centre Business Support Services Working Group – a network of organizations including Altitude Accelerator, the Caledon Chamber of Commerce, Caledon Public Library, Caledon Community Services/Jobs Caledon, and the Brampton Entrepreneur Centre. The panel, which was moderated by the Town’s Economic Development Office, identified the services and support for entrepreneurs at all stages of growth.
The event reached full capacity in advance through targeted outreach and digital marketing across social media, E-newsletter and Eventbrite. Attendees included local entrepreneurs, small business owners, community organizations, support agencies, and municipal leadership. The program featured opening remarks from Mayor Annette Groves and John MacRitchie,
Assistant Vice-President, Zone Learning and Strategic Initiatives – Office of the Provost and Vice-President Academic, Toronto Metropolitan University.
Afternoon breakout sessions enabled entrepreneurs to engage directly with DMZ experts and Town staff on key business topics such as access to capital, legal guidance, branding, and technology tools through the Caledon Public Library. The sessions were designed to be practical and interactive; attendees were given direct insight into how they could leverage local support and learn how to do business with municipalities from our procurement staff.
The Town also launched a high-quality promotional video to support ongoing outreach and digital storytelling around the Humber River Centre, reinforcing Caledon’s commitment to fostering an innovation-driven local economy. The success of the event—and the strong turnout and feedback— validated the need for a central, collaborative hub for business support in Caledon.
The Humber River Centre Open House (Videos created for promotion: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1X7GpitqokElbVgGZFJPDSa9Xvq0mByXU?usp=sharing) represents a new model for municipal-led economic development, rooted in partnerships, place-making, and proactive engagement. It set the tone for how the Town of Caledon will continue to support entrepreneurs—through shared resources, meaningful connections, and coordinated delivery of services that reduce barriers and accelerate growth.
