Business Partners, Connections and Resources

Market Advantages – Leverage data on local consumers, dwellings, and businesses to find the customers you need.

Workforce Advantages – Good help can be hard to find but look no further because the workforce you need is right here.

Target Sector Advantages – Assess the concentration of primary sectors that support economic and workforce growth.

Talent Pipeline – Explore the extensive network of higher education facilities that drive workforce and innovation.

Rooted in Nature, Driven by Opportunity

The Kawarthas Tourism

The Kawarthas Tourism is operated by the upper tier municipality of Peterborough County, Ontario, Canada.

Peterborough County is located on the traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg and is home to Curve Lake & Hiawatha First Nations communities.

Peterborough County is an upper tier municipality representing eight local municipalities and serving a population of approximately 64,000 residents plus a large seasonal population distributed over an area of 4,000 square kilometres. We are a diverse area and it’s this diversity that makes us unique and adaptable, and truly authentic.

The northern part of the County consists of lakes, rivers, and varied landscape. While the south part also has it’s share of lakes, rivers, trials, it offers rich agricultural land. Made up of a various size of towns, villages, and hamlets that all compliment one another and work together, our primary industries in our rural community are agriculture, tourism, light to medium duty manufacturing, service business, creative entrepreneurs, and innovation.

Authentic Adventures & Local Experiences

Our Authentic Adventures collection highlights the most unique and memorable adventures this region has to offer – beyond the “must-see and do” activities, this collection is sure to give you the gift of lifelong memories!

An authentic taste of the Kawarthas awaits

Farm-fresh food, passionate producers, and welcoming hospitality – this is the recipe for our region’s vibrant local eat and drink scene.

Explore The Kawarthas Your Way

What’s your idea of fun? Listening to music under the stars? Taking in a play set in nature? Trying your luck? Meandering through a museum? Seeing the sights? Exploring the First Nations? We have an incredible volume and variety of things to see and do. What are you waiting for?

You’re Welcome. Places to stay in The Kawarthas

Many of the places to stay in The Kawarthas are still run by the people who own them, so there are a lot of accommodations with unique personalities.

Even our branded hotels offer hospitality that can only be found here in The Kawarthas. If you don’t find the perfect place below, browse Airbnb options the County of Peterborough or VRBO options. At any time, you can give us a call at 1-800-710-9586

There’s always something to do in The Kawarthas

Browse the full events calendar for The Kawarthas

The Community Futures Peterborough Business Advisory Centre is often an entrepreneur's first point of contact with the business support community.

The Business Advisory Centre can help your business venture succeed with one-on-one advisory meetings to discuss your challenges, free workshops, networking events, meeting space rentals, and more business resources.

They provide confidential and complimentary support services for clients in the City and County of Peterborough.

• Knowledgeable team helps people of every age at every stage of starting, growing, or acquiring a business.
• Services, consultations, tools, and resources are offered free of charge in order to help startups and small businesses succeed.

In addition to one-on-one consultations they also offer program workshops and webinars, e-Learning, and services that assist in starting a business or growing a business.

Key Resources available to ALL local businesses!

• • Digital Mainstreet
  • Google My Business (GMB) Guide and Tools
  • MaRS Startup Toolkit
  • Shopify Guides & Free Business Tools
  • Small Business Toolkit

• • Fleming College - Contract Training
  • Retail Council of Canada (RCC)
  • Small Business Centres of Ontario
  • StartUp Canada
  • Workplace Development Board - Workforce Career Ladders

The Canada Starting a Business webpage provides a variety of federal support, information and advice on staring up a business in Canada.

Important step-by-step information needed to start a business in Canada, as well as key support resources.

Community Futures Peterborough is supported by the Government of Canada and managed by a local volunteer Board of Directors.

Community Futures Peterborough helps small and medium businesses access services and capital, enhances the local economic and employment growth through community-based planning and economic development initiatives. Their interest rates on loans are much lower than banks and more flexible repayment plans. 

• Make an appointment with one of their team members to talk about where you want to be and what they can do to get you there.

Kinds of support:

• Financial,
• counselling, and
• business development.

Will help you find out which of their services is the best fit for you. 

Farms at Work offers a place to meet, learn, share, and explore for farmers in Durham, Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton and Hastings to promote healthy and active farmland in east central Ontario. 

Support and help to attract to farmers to the area. Host various agriculture events, workshops, mentorship, internship and other opportunities. 

They also offer a directory for Peterborough farms, farm gates and stand, and a variety of products through their Peterborough Farm Fresh listing.

Kawartha Choice Farm Fresh is an online resource for local agriculture experiences, local food producers and restaurants wanting to feature local choices. The website includes local farm gates, farms, and local retailers and restaurants that feature locally produced food and drink. 

The website is available for any business that produces, serves or showcases local food or products and provides an online map. There are also a number of useful other agriculture based resource links on the website. 

An excellent free method of getting your produce or agri-products marketed. Members also can connect with programs, supports and a like minded business community. 

The Ontario Small Business Access provides support, information sources and advice on how to begin and run a small business in Ontario.