Welcome to the development of the City of Kawartha Lakes’ Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy and Action Plan. We invite you to explore the information on this page and connect with the Project Team with any questions.

Developing Kawartha Lakes Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Strategy and Action Plan

The City of Kawartha Lakes is developing it's first FDI Strategy to support international business attraction and strengthen the local economy. This work builds on the 2024-2025 Economic Development Strategy, which identified investment attraction as a key priority for future growth.

What is Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)?

FDI represents a long-term commitment of capital made by an international business into a local operation or asset in our community. Attracting FDI is a powerful driver of local growth because it is a catalyst for direct, tangible benefits:

• Stronger Local Economy - FDI brings anchor companies that foster industry clustering, leading to greater supply-chain activity and increased commercial assessment values.
• Better Jobs and Skills - Local suppliers near FDI projects experience productivity gains due to technology transfer, process modernization, and skills transfer, resulting in job creation and higher personal income and local spending.
• Community Resilience - Regions with diversified foreign investment show less employment decline during downturns and faster recovery after economic shocks.
• Improved Public Services - Increased economic activity contributes to better infrastructure and increased service provision through higher capital investment by local governments.

Stiletto Consulting has been engaged to complete a current-state review, lead targeted stakeholder engagement, and identify Kawartha Lakes’ competitive advantages within global FDI trends. The project will result in a five-year strategy and a three-year action plan, outlining clear actions and performance measures to guide effective implementation.

Confidentiality

Personal information contained on this form is collected pursuant to The Municipal Act, 2001, and will be used for the purpose of providing feedback to the Foreign Direct Investment Strategy and Action Plan. Questions about the collection of this information should be directed to the City Clerk or Deputy Clerk at 705-324-9411, extension 1295 or 1322.