Welcome to the City of Toronto website

The Economic Development & Culture Division (EDC) provides services that contribute to an economically strong, socially enjoyable and culturally vibrant city. Our combined service responsibilities heighten Toronto's ability to sustain and promote itself as one of the world's leading creative cities.

Our objective is to advance Toronto's prosperity, opportunity and liveability by:

• Improving the business climate within the city to enable, accelerate and attract economic growth
• Diversifying Toronto's international portfolio by substantially increasing economic activity with cities beyond North America with a focus on emerging markets
• Anchoring and expanding strategic industry sectors through increased competition and collaboration
• Enhancing and expanding Toronto's labour force and ensure that all residents have equitable access to the benefits of Toronto's enhanced economic competitiveness and growth.

Economic Development & Culture delivers services and programs through the following sections:

General Manager l Business Services l Cultural Services
Office of the Film Commissioner l Program Support
Strategic Growth & Sector Development l Small business centres

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General Manager's Office

Contacts

Business Services

Full-spectrum of business services including:

• providing site selection services and facilitating company relocations and expansions
• facilitating industrial and commercial development projects
• helping fast-track approvals through our Gold Star Service.
• providing information and advice on programs, statistics and employment areas
• advocating on behalf of business clients for City-related issues
• commenting on policy issues related to business retention and expansion
• corporate outreach program to office and industrial businesses in the City
• revitalizing employment areas
• developing local economic development strategies in partnership with Neighbourhood Action Teams
  • Small business start-up, growth and retention support, business licenses and permits information (BizPal) and online resources (www.enterprisetoronto.com)
  • administration and coordination of the Imagination, Manufacturing, Innovation, Technology (IMIT) Grants Program
• business improvement area (BIA) development and support
• implementation of the Commercial Façade Improvement Program / Banner Mural Program.
• incubator program

These services are provided at convenient locations including City Hall, North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke Civic Centres.

Contacts

Cultural Services

• manage and develop cultural resources and events to enrich Toronto’s quality of life and sense of place
• cultural partnerships and funding
• asset management, including the capital program and property management
• special projects, including adaptive reuse projects such as the Wychwood Car Barns and Don Valley Brick Works
• community development and outreach, including arts education and programming
• public art acquisition, conservation, collection management
• museum and heritage services including heritage programs and education, collections management, museum operations
• special events programming, production and sponsorship, event support and facilitation.

Programs are delivered through the following units within Cultural Services:

• Arts Services
• Cultural Affairs
• Museum Services
• Special Events

Contact

Film, Television & Digital Media

• development of strategies and policies related to the screen-based industries
• building and maintaining intergovernmental and industry relationships, networks and partnerships
• coordination of location filming through issuance of permits by the Toronto Film and Television Office (TFTO)   and problem solving or conflict resolution
• domestic and international promotion of Toronto as a film locations, production and post –production centre of excellence
• support to the Toronto Film Board, the advisors on, voice to, and advocate for the screen-based industries

Contacts

Program Support

Integrated marketing and administrative support to the division that includes:

• public business and investor information including: divisional information products and services, and Web-enabled information access
• financial planning, administration and budget coordination
• alternative revenue generation strategies
• marketing and promotion
• branding
• liaison with the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA)
• staff development
• internal divisional control and compliance activities.

Contact

Strategic Growth & Sector Development

• economic / cultural / tourism impact and custom research analysis
• economic / cultural / tourism policy planning, strategy development, monitoring and evaluation
• sector development  / liaison /  investment promotion (includes tourism, culture, film and television sectors)
• nurture growth of targeted sectors of the economy through key sector partnerships for: biomedical and biotechnology; education; fashion and design; financial services; food, beverage and packaging; green/cleantech; information and communications technology; new media; and tourism
• maintenance of economic, real estate, labour force, and business data bases to support custom research and policy development
• custom market analysis by user-defined geographic area with such information as daytime/night-time population counts, employment, retail sales, etc.
• policy advice on economic / cultural / tourism impact of City Council and other orders of government decisions and legislation
• support for Mayor’s / Council’s advisory committees and other initiatives
• liaison with arm’s length agencies
• economic development through international alliances through the International City to City Program
• program-related inter-governmental relations.

Service delivery is provided in partnership with:

• all orders of government
• City of Toronto divisions
• agencies, boards and commissions
• economic sectors
• major employers
• community groups

Contact

Economic Development & Culture supports and assists existing businesses, potential investors and business associations.

• Business Services
• Business Improvement Areas
• Economic Research
• Film & Television Office
• Key sector partnerships
• Small business centres
• Staff contacts
• General enquiries

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Business Services

Identifying sites and buildings, assisting with approvals to accommodate growth, expansion and relocation, and advocating for business

Toronto's Economic Development professionals assist businesses through:

• municipal processes,
• help to interpret planning and zoning regulations,
• advocate on your behalf to assist with site location information.

Through direct contact, interaction with businesses, business and sector associations and the real estate community, we inform our clients about municipal issues, policies and programs that affect business operations, respond to questions and voice their concerns.

Staff Contacts

Business Improvement Areas

Establishing and maintaining Business Improvement Areas and managing Capital Improvements

Toronto cost-shares capital improvement in designated retail business districts and traditional employment areas. The creation and facilitation of local partnerships enables the city to leverage human and financial resources, address economic issues, and stimulate reinvestment and employment at the same time.

Supplementary programs in Streetscape Improvement, Commercial Facade Improvement, Banner and Mural, Commercial Research, and Community Festivals and Special Events are also offered. These supporting programs provide the tools necessary to attract visitors and new customers to commercial areas throughout Toronto.

Economic Development provides administrative support and advice to the City's 61 Business Improvement Areas and works with local businesses and community groups to ensure economic stability and growth in 19 employment revitalization areas.

Staff contacts

Economic Research

Providing statistical information, developing policies and business advocacy

Economic Development maintains up-to-date and comprehensive economic information and business-related statistics to assist businesses in making well-informed decisions. Economic Development maintains a directory of business data with key contacts and respond to investment inquiries with customized information.

Toronto's Economic Development team voices the concerns of business to civic decision makers, and influences government policy to assist with business growth. Key resources include information about city businesses and a directory with key contacts and area profiles.

The Economic Development team provides advice to Council on proposals and projects of major economic significance, provides economic impact analyses, as well as advises on tax and other major government policy issues, significant event proposal/bids, development applications with city-wide implications and strategic infrastructure initiatives.

Staff works with business and other stakeholders to create long-term economic development strategies to facilitate economic growth and develop new and creative ideas that could benefit the city's economy.

Staff contacts

Staff contacts

Business Services

Business Improvement Areas

Economic Research

Film & Television Office

Key sector partnerships

Small business centres
Enterprise Centre

General enquiries

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