Business Retention and Expansion Study for Collingwood's
Commercial/Retail Base Sector

Section 2: Overall Findings

The findings and indicators for the Commercial/Retail Sector of the Business Retention and Expansion Study are summarized below.

These indicators will serve as a tool to the Department when following up with the Commercial/Retail Sector.

The general impression within the Commercial/Retail Sector reports a fair impression of Collingwood as a place to do business, with the highest amount of concerns and a negative climate evolving as a result of plant closings and manufacturing job losses and salaries that provided families with a reasonable quality of life. Good local retail jobs are few and far between, often are not full-time, pay minimum or low hourly rates, offer few if any benefits and little growth or future opportunity.

Local services of policing, fire prevention, public utilities, and public transit were rated at a satisfied level. The majority of retailers identify a very dissatisfied level for street repair. Construction costs were rated as high, as were leasing spaces expenses.

The local permit process, municipal governance, lack of adequate signage and poor communication particularly on the proposed back-in parking within the downtown retail district were assessed as being poor.

Commercial/Retail Base Sector Main Menu