Oakville launches ‘Branches to Business’ - nurturing the business community to grow successfully

Oakville is continuing to invest in the success of businesses rooted in the community with the launch of Branches to Business – a new retention and expansion program designed to help local companies grow and thrive.

Led by the Town’s Economic Development department (Invest Oakville), Branches to Business focuses on building strong relationships with local business owners by providing access to resources, data, support services and industry relationships across four strategic pillars:

• Funding tools and programs;
• Workforce development;
• Scaling and growth; and
• Navigating municipal government processes.

The new program aims to make it easier for local business owners to find the resources they need through customized engagement, streamlined processes and an annual business conditions survey. The goal is to help strengthen the local economy and create more job opportunities in Oakville. Business owners looking to quickly get started with the program can fill out a short intake form at invest.oakville.ca. Following that, the Invest Oakville team will reach out to discuss needs and next steps.

Branches to Business is part of the Town’s Economic Development Plan 2025 to 2029 to prioritize supporting and growing the local economy, as well as strengthening Oakville’s key sectors: Professional Services; Advanced Manufacturing; Health and Life Sciences; and Film, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Digital Media. Through continuing to build relationships with Oakville’s largest employers and top key sector companies, Invest Oakville staff can better understand the local economic climate and gain insights on how to help local businesses grow and promote job creation.

To learn more about the new Branches to Business program, visit the Growth and Expansion Support page on invest.oakville.ca.

Quote

“Branches to Business advances our Economic Development Plan’s strategic direction to support and grow the local economy. By connecting companies to the right resources and funding tools, we’re helping businesses expand and create more jobs in Oakville.”
 – Mayor Rob Burton

Background

• The Branches to Business program aligns with Council’s Strategic Plan 2023 to 2026 in terms of managing growth for a vibrant local economy.
• Oakville’s location in the heart of the Toronto-Waterloo technology and innovation corridor makes the municipality an ideal spot for businesses to innovate and expand – along with access to a highly-skilled workforce, and strong industry partners, such as Sheridan College and the Generator at Sheridan, Halton Healthcare, Regional Innovation Centre, Centre for Applied AI, and Innovation Factory Halton.
• The Town of Oakville is projected to see significant job growth between 2023 and 2029 in key sectors, such as: professional services (14 per cent), life sciences (14 per cent), motion picture and video (18 per cent), and computer systems design (12 per cent).