Earlier this month, 200 real estate professionals from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) attended the Halton Real Estate Forum to learn about the importance of business location and access to top talent, and how Halton Region has become an economic hotspot for these key success factors.
Halton Region is one of the best places in Canada to live and do business. Halton has been named the safest regional municipality in Canada for the past six years. We have a AAA credit rating, a location and quality of life that is second to none and a highly educated workforce living within our borders. This combination of location and access to top talent is a strong factor contributing to Halton remaining an economic hotspot in the GTA.
With 16 colleges and universities within a one hour drive, more than anywhere else in Canada, and with 74 per cent of Halton’s population having post-secondary education, one of the highest rates in the country, Halton Region has an unparalleled access to top talent to help our businesses succeed.
Some highlights from the forum included Halton’s:
- exceptionally low unemployment rate at 4 per cent in the second quarter of 2014, compared to Ontario’s rate of 7.5 per cent;
- easy access to top talent with more than 4.5 million workers within easy commuting distance and a Halton labour pool of 281,000 that has grown 13 per cent since 2006;
- confident business community with 92 per cent of Halton businesses anticipating economic growth in the coming year;
- access to transportation with four mobility hubs across the Region;
- 30-minute all-day GO Train service on the Lakeshore line and four international airports within an hour’s drive and
- competitive taxes that have either been frozen or reduced for the last eight years while enhancing service levels
The forum featured a keynote address and panel discussion with real estate and human resources industry leaders who provided their analysis and insights on how Halton can continue to attract businesses and a strong talent base. Real estate professionals had the opportunity to network and learn about economic and real estate performance and trends.
The event was hosted by Halton Region’s Economic Development division in partnership with the economic development offices at the City of Burlington and the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton and the Town of Oakville. This is the fifth year the Region and Halton’s four Local Municipalities have jointly hosted the Halton Real Estate Forum. Sponsors included Bentall Kennedy, HR Options, Melrose Investments Inc. and the Oakville, Milton and District Real Estate Board.
The presentations from the 2014 Halton Real Estate Forum are available online at Halton.ca/realestateforum.