Success Stories
Business thrives in here.
North Simcoe offers businesses of all size ample opportunity to prosper. Check out these real-life examples of businesses that have found success in our region.
Industrial Filter Manufacturing
Our world is changing and businesses are being forced to adapt. Dan Williams saw the need for face masks in our community and jumped right in! Dan quickly tooled up Penetanguishene’s Industrial Filter Manufacturing to start producing 2,000 face masks a day, with more equipment coming soon to ramp up production to 6,000 per day!
Carol Curie
The inspirational story of local artist Carol Currie who was forced to make incredible changes and adaptations with great success.
Windlee Farms
Windlee Farms Maple Syrup is located just 5 minutes outside of the Town of Midland, allowing the Lorriman family to enjoy the closeness of community and quality of life. Anne and Peter left behind their fast-paced city jobs almost 30 years ago and have built their farm from humble beginnings to the success they enjoy today.
Georgian Bakery
You do-nut want to miss out on this gem in beautiful Downtown Midland! Georgian Bakery has been a staple in the Town of Midland for 70 years with their delicious doughnuts, pies, fresh bread and so much more. The new owners have maintained many of the old favourites while breathing some new life to this piece of local history.
Georgian Bay Musical Theatre Company
Lori-Ann Clancy, “Clance”, is well known in the North Simcoe arts community for her commitment to theatre and her 26 year history as a high school drama teacher. Clance’s latest endeavour is the Georgian Bay Musical Theatre Company, encouraging local talent with top quality renditions of popular productions.
Discovery Harbour
The Discovery Harbour Skate Trail offers winter fun for the whole family in Penetanguishene, right in the Heart of Georgian Bay! The historic site is transformed into a winter wonderland every weekend in February with a 1km ice skating loop, snowshoeing, a kids tube run and so much more!
Georgian Shores Catering
Chef Dave & Chef Wade have been wowing local foodies with their incredible take-home meals, full-service catering and delectable desserts from their Midland location, literally just steps from Georgian Bay! Georgian Shores Catering is a full service catering company based in Midland, Ontario who is dedicated to providing outstanding service and remarkable food to the Georgian Bay and surrounding area.
Mad Cravings
Sarah and Geoff White left behind the oceans in Halifax for the lakes of North Simcoe and beautiful Georgian Bay to run Mad Cravings when Mad Michael retired. The restaurant continues the delicious, made-from-scratch and locally sourced tradition at the big yellow building in Wyebridge on Highway 93.
OMG! Men and Women's Fashions
Loving the local lifestyle, JoAnn Menard moved to Penetanguishene about 10 years ago. She saw the need for cute, casual, comfortable, quality clothing in an affordable price range. With the help of La Clé de l’emploi Employment Services and the NSCFDC, OMG Men & Women’s Fashions now provides fantastic fashions on the Main Street of Penetanguishene.
North of Exile Games
Born and raised in Midland, Jason Malott didn’t ever see a reason to move away but, as a passionate gamer, he dreamed of bringing something bigger to our local community. Jason was able to realize his dream by opening North of Exile Games, a board game cafe and store in Penetanguishene that is nothing like your typical big box shop.
Murray Van Halem
North Simcoe is home to some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. For artist Murray Van Halem, that was one of the biggest draws that brought him to the shores of Georgian Bay. With past careers in photography and real estate, Murray semi-retired to our area almost 10 years ago to follow his passion for painting.
My Gbay Store
The ideal place for children to grow up and the love of the active, outdoor lifestyle that North Simcoe offers brought Barb Coxworth to the Heart of Georgian Bay over 20 years ago. Barb has taken her passion for Georgian Bay and the outdoor lifestyle one step further with my Gbay, a lifestyle and apparel shop in Downtown Midland. my Gbay focuses on sustainable, Canadian brands that are built for all seasons! Barb loves the shop local movement, placing huge importance on getting to know her customers and neighbours while giving back to her community.
Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association
The Heart of Georgian Bay has been called a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts and Frieda Baldwin agrees! As the president of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association, Freida and her fellow members enjoy 4 seasons of fun on the vast trail networks in North Simcoe – hiking, biking, paddling, snowshoeing and more! In fact, her group volunteers to maintain 500 kms of trails stretching from Port Hope to the Bruce Trails with a loop through Simcoe County.
Queenan Family Medicine
Rochester N.Y. physician, Dr. Emily Queenan, decided to uproot her medical practice and plant her new roots in Canada and selected North Simcoe. Dr. Queenan, her husband and their 3 boys fell in love with the beauty and the active lifestyle of Georgian Bay, making Penetanguishene the new home of Queenan Family Medicine & Maternity Care. North Simcoe’s proximity to a major airport make visits back to the USA simple with a quick trip down the highway.
First Light
Now in its 20th year, First Light at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons brings the magic of the holidays to North Simcoe. Experience the beauty of the historical site and the neighbouring Martyrs’ Shrine by the light of 5,000 candles at this annual holiday event. Enjoy live entertainment, 50+ local vendors, fireworks and so much more!
Assisting You Social
Successful social media marketing is all about making connections, but it was the strong community feel and connections that led Assisting You Social to Midland. Barbara Lowe saw Midland as the ideal place to raise her kids and build her business from the ground up, making strong networking connections with community involvement and support. As their client roster grows, the team continues to provide the personal touch that big-city agencies just don’t have.
Keebee Play
From their beginnings in a home garage in Alberta to thousands of installations across the globe, Keebee Play is a true example of how North Simcoe is the perfect place to find your work/life balance. Marc Kanik started out as a commercial contractor and saw the need for play areas in medical offices and retail settings. Once his first piece of modular play equipment was placed in the Calgary Airport, business began to soar.
North Simcoe Signs
From a single dad working 100+ hours a week to a thriving entrepreneur creating 13 new jobs in our community, Mike Cillis of North Simcoe Signs is a true example of hard work paying off! If you live, work or play in North Simcoe, there is a very good chance you have seen Mike’s work.
Action Play Centre
Jen & Mike took advantage of a wealth of local resources in order to make their dream a reality, right here in North Simcoe, and the Action Play Centre was born! The APC has worked together with fellow local entrepreneurs Keebee Play to integrate their high-quality play equipment into their premier indoor playground for all-weather fun.
James & Deanna
Like most actor/producer/comedian/rappers, James & Deanna got their start in the Big City. But the pressure of juggling multiple jobs to pay the bills while pursuing their passion got to be too much. That’s why James & Deanna stepped outside of their comfort zone and made the move to North Simcoe.
Make A Mess Art Studio
Making a living by making a mess! It’s possible with the right amount of creativity and passion. This business is a “mess” and that’s fantastic. Nahthanha chose to succeed in North Simcoe because it’s a great place to raise a family.
Poppy & Peonies
Natalie has had a passion for fashion since she was 16; it has allowed her to shape a very successful business and create a very exciting life. She has been all over the world for fashion. She has worked in many fashion districts, in many cities, including New York.
Collaborative Haus Marketing
Living and working in rural North Simcoe has allowed Nicole French and Collaborative Haus Marketing thrive while supporting companies like GlaxoSmithKline and products like Oreo and Buckley’s. Living in North Simcoe helps Nicole recharge. She moved from the big city and hasn’t looked back.
Georgian Bay Reinforcement Fabrics
Christine van der Weg describes how her innovative company is run without supervisors, yet thrives right here in North Simcoe while selling products as far away as Vietnam.
Makk Design
Meet Riina & Stephen Makk who think “you may as well live where it’s good to live.” For them, it is right here in North Simcoe, where their high-tech company can thrive as well.
Marlon Gibbons
Marlon is a very successful music composer who has written soundtracks for many popular TV shows, such as: The Bachelor, Temptation Island, American Idol and Dancing with The Stars. Marlon does business in Los Angeles, California, but chose North Simcoe as home — check out the video, he’ll tell you why!