Niagara region named one of Canada’s top business spots

Boasting more than $100 billion in annual trade, Niagara Region has been recognized as one of the top business locations in Canada. 

Niagara Economic Development, which promotes the region on a global scale, had its efforts rewarded with a “Top 20 Business Locations in Canada” nod from U.S.-based Site Selection magazine in its September issue.  

The Niagara organization is highlighted alongside other top groups from across the country including award recipients in Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Hamilton and Toronto. The groups are not ranked one through 20, but instead listed collectively as among Canada’s best. 

The rankings are based on corporate end-user facility investment, job creation data and the magazine’s own research.  

Results are based on data from April 1, 2020 to March 31 of this year, and criteria includes: number of new facilities and expansions per capita; project capital investment per capita; job creation per capita; and subjective analyses of website resources, programming and outreach efforts. 

In recognizing Niagara, Site Selection quoted Abatement Technologies director of marketing and product innovation Justin Larsen, who commented on the company’s decision to invest in a new manufacturing and head office site in the region. 

“Niagara has given us a good pool of talent to pull from,” he said. “We have access to all the shipping lanes (and) we’re close to enough major airports that it’s easy for us to be connected to the globe. Operational costs, and cost to expand, is easier in Niagara than it is in the GTA…so we’re absolutely committed to staying in the community.” 

Recent projects at Modest Tree Media, GM, Quick Plug and Clean Works Medical were also noted by the magazine, which pointed to the region’s two post-secondary institutions (Brock University and Niagara College are among Niagara’s five biggest employers) as key contributors as well.  

Furthermore, agribusiness, manufacturing and tourism are among Niagara’s key sectors, and the region also boasts emerging sectors such as computer systems design, architecture and engineering, the magazine said. 

Niagara Economic Development also works with the region’s 12 municipalities to encourage investment in and travel to the region, and provide business support services to attract, maintain and increase jobs in Niagara. 

Site Selection magazine is headquartered in Atlanta, and for more than 60 years has advised corporations, and government economic development and investment promotion agencies around the world.