Written By David Gomez
MIDDLESEX - Middlesex County entered the second half of 2026 with a larger pipeline of investment prospects, increased business outreach and a redesigned approach to tourism signage along County roads.
Director of Economic Development and Tourism Cara Finn told County council on August 11 that staff handled more than 1000 investment inquiries during the second quarter, up from 827 in Q1. The County recorded 988 prospects, 347 engagements and 873 open investment leads by the end of the quarter.
Business retention and expansion activity also increased. Staff engaged 165 businesses, compared with 77 in Q1, while six expansion opportunities were identified or supported. Finn highlighted the Phase II expansion of Ontario Plants in Glencoe as one of the quarter’s developments.
Despite the activity, Finn said servicing remains the County’s “biggest hurdle” when competing for industrial investment. Of 78 industrial properties listed across Middlesex municipalities, 58 permit manufacturing, while 22 have water service and 13 have wastewater infrastructure.
Workforce programs also expanded during Q2. Registrations on the Work in Middlesex platform climbed from 862 to 1211, while job views reached 40,654. Finn told council that 27 residents had received individualized assistance through the newly launched Workforce Navigator program.
Later in the meeting, council considered revisions to its tourism signage policy after staff consulted the County’s in-house sign shop.
The revised design limits rural tourism signs to eight feet in width and uses a standardized format capable of accommodating one to four businesses. Finn said the changes are intended to make production and implementation more practical without altering the overall purpose of the program.
Existing “Grassroutes” signs are scheduled for removal by the fourth quarter of 2026, while other County signage will be replaced through regular maintenance.
County Engineer Chris Traini said the new signs are expected to last about five to six years on average, although some may remain in service for as long as eight years.
