Guelph, Ontario, September 21, 2022 – Last night at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) annual conference in Oklahoma City, the city of Guelph was recognized with a Gold Award of Excellence for its Guelph Shops Holiday Wish Book.
“Communities need our profession now more than ever,” said IEDC President and CEO Nathan Ohle. “This year’s award winners exemplify the ingenuity, leadership and determination required to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. The winners of the IEDC Awards for Excellence in Economic Development represent the best in economic development and demonstrate the level of leadership our profession strives for every day.”
The Guelph Shops Holiday Wish Book was the centerpiece of the Guelph Shops Christmas 2021 campaign; a prime opportunity to promote Guelph as a top visitor and business destination during the holiday season. The inaugural edition featured more than 40 local businesses from different shopping categories and was well received: more than 56,000 people knew the wish book, almost 12,000 people read the online print brochure and there were 1,000 clicks on various business links.
The city has worked with the Guelph Chamber of Commerce and local graphic designer Ellyn Lusis to create the wish book and they look forward to releasing the 2022 edition later this fall. “The Guelph Shops Holiday Wish Book is the first of its kind in our community and our strong partnership with the Guelph Chamber of Commerce has been critical to its success,” said Christine Chapman, the city’s economic development manager. “Our diverse business community has also played a big part in this success; Your participation and commitment to Guelph makes it easier for us to attract tourists, visitors and shoppers to our area. And a big thank you to the IEDC for recognizing our efforts with this award. We are delighted that Guelph Shops and our community continue to receive international attention.”
“Working with our community and ecosystem partners to nurture local businesses is a key pillar of our work,” said Shakiba Shayani, President and CEO of the Guelph Chamber of Commerce. “At a time when economic recovery and business resilience were paramount, we were thrilled to have featured a diverse and innovative lineup of companies in the Guelph Shops Wish Book. Thank you to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce for helping fund this successful program.”
About the International Economic Development Council
The International Economic Development Council (IEDC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization serving economic developers. With more than 5,000 members, IEDC is the largest organization of its kind. Business developers advance the economic well-being and quality of life of their communities by creating, maintaining and enhancing jobs that foster growth, enhance wealth and provide a stable tax base. From public to private, rural to urban, and local to international, IEDC members engage across the spectrum of economic development experiences. Given the breadth of business development work, our members are employed in a variety of sectors, including local, state, provincial and federal governments, public-private partnerships, chambers of commerce, universities and a host of other institutions. When we’re successful, our members create quality jobs, develop vibrant communities, and improve the quality of life in their communities. Learn more at iedconline.org.
About economic development and tourism
Economic Development and Tourism includes the functions of Economic Development, Tourism and the Guelph Junction Railway. Economic development makes it easy to do business in Guelph by coordinating business connections, supporting business growth, attracting new businesses, facilitating partnerships and conducting business promotions. tourism manages Guelph history for visitors and residents by fostering a well-connected stakeholder community through engagement, facilitation and coordination. The team supports tourism businesses, destination development and visitor services. Guelph Junction Railway (GJR) is the city-owned railway that runs a 38.6-kilometer route from Campbellville to the Northeast Industrial Park of Guelph and connects to the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway. GJR supports more than 20 companies in the transport of goods and many more indirectly through transhipment services.
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For more informations
Christine Chapman, Manager, Business Development
economic development and tourism
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 ext. 2823
[email protected]
