Economic Development

The 1000 Islands Community Development Corporation service territory has long prospered thanks in large part to its geography. The area runs along the shores of the St Lawrence River in the heart of the magnificent 1000 Islands. Situated on the Frontenac Axis, where the Canadian Shield meets the St Lawrence-Great Lakes Lowlands, the area is blessed with an abundance of fertile land, scenic untamed beauty and unique topography.

The area has always benefited from its ideal location, halfway between Toronto and Montreal,100 kilometres from Ottawa, and adjacent to Northern New York. Local exporters continue to enjoy convenient transportation of goods by river, rail and road. Today we are served by the St Lawrence Seaway, the CNR and CPR mainlines and the Highway 401. The area is bracketed by the 1000 Islands International Bridge at Ivy Lea and the Johnstown-Ogdensburg International Bridge to the east providing easy and immediate access to major American markets.

Many world class industries call the area home including several ‘Fortune 500’ caliber companies like Proctor and Gamble, 3M, Shell, Alcan and Trillium Health Care.

The Frontenac Arch is a portion of Leeds, defined by its rugged beauty, that provides outstanding access to camping, fishing, boating and parklands. Throughout the Frontenac Arch high lying rock and forest areas caused the formation of our tremendous chains of lakes and rivers. Hundreds of hectares of Waterside Parklands and Conservation Areas, celebrated as part of the 1000 Islands Frontenac Arch Biosphere Reserve, make this area unique to both vacationers and naturalists from around the world.

The entire region is unparalleled for its scenic beauty. Sprawling landscapes, vast forests, abundant wildlife, magnificent architecture and majestic waterways are just a few of the reasons why the area has become a popular tourism destination. The area offers all of the amenities expected by the modern tourist, including an evening of chance at the 1000 Islands Charity Casino in Gananoque, without the exhausting ‘hustle and bustle’ of most major urban centres. Visitors often return and many make the area their second home. A highlight to any visit is a St Lawrence River cruise as evidenced annually by the hundreds of thousands of people who enjoy one of many boat tours that explore life in the 1000 Islands.

South Leeds offers the benefits of an urban centre without the associated costs. Homes are reasonably priced, traffic jams do not exist, hospitals are not crowded and service is swift, education is world class, crime rates are low, businesses are progressive, people are friendly and the scenery is remarkable. It is ideally located and it is very well positioned for continued long term growth. For the fortunate who live and work here – there truly is no place like home.

The 1000 Islands CDC service territory includes:

• The City of Brockville
• The Town of Gananoque
• Township of Athens
• Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley
• Township of Front of Yonge
• Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands

To explore additional pages for specific information :

• City of Brockville website provides demographic and economic development information under the Economic Development section, http://www.brockville.com
• Gananoque: http://www.townofgananoque.ca/
• Leeds and the Thousand Islands, Township of: http://www.townshipleeds.on.ca/index.asp
• United Counties of Leeds and Grenville: http://www.uclg.ca/
• Elizabethtown-Kitley: http://www.elizabethtown-kitley.on.ca
• Front of Yonge: http://www.frontofyonge.com/

Statistal Information:

• Age Profile – .pdf file
• Labour Force Characteristics - .pdf file
• Population Statistics 1991, 1996, 2001 - .pdf file
• Education levels - .pdf file
• Location and access - .pdf file
• Vital statistics and demographic profile - .pdf file