The next port of call in your entrepreneurial journey

Hailed as Northern Bruce Peninsula’s ‘Port of Call’, with invitingly clear waters and a culture steeped in boating, fishing and shipwreck touring, Tobermory of Bruce County is a prime location for entrepreneurs looking to switch up their lifestyle and set up a business. Connected by ferry and airway to neighbouring Peninsula villages, Manitoulin Island and major cities, Tobermory is positioned to welcome water-loving visitors and business owners alike.

Key Facts

Location
Economy
Demographics
Lifestyle
Interactive map of Tobermory Map of South of Ontario Bruce county in white with dynamic content between the different 232 Km 298 Km 253 Km 296 Km 106 Km 325 Km 296 Km 464 Km Barrie Hamilton Kitchener London Owen Sound Sarnia Toronto Windsor

Easily explore other Northern Bruce Peninsula towns such as Dyer’s Bay and Lion’s Head by car within a half hour in any direction. Hop over to Manitoulin Island by the Chi-Cheemaun for a solid break. Or take a speedy trip by highway to Hamilton, London or Barrie to stay on the pulse of business.
With the Bruce Peninsula National Park, UNESCO Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere and Fathom Five National Marine Park in the vicinity, the bulk of your customers will be water explorers and nature wanderers looking to eat, sleep, shop and tour Tobermory. Scuba-diving is a particularly big draw for seasonal visitors while boating and general enjoyment of the coast is what keeps residents entertained and in place; a solid client base to keep your business venture afloat.

The towns and hamlets of the Northern Bruce Peninsula are home to a permanent resident population of about 3,580. This number swells to more than 13,000 in the summer months. The permanent residents are mostly aged over 45 and are post-secondary educated.

You don’t need to put a boating, seaside-living, quaint town-dwelling lifestyle into that ‘maybe some day when I retire’ category; Tobermory encapsulates this kind of living - now - with business opportunities to boot. The community is lively and involved thanks to The Meeting Place, a volunteer-built and volunteer-run centre focused on fulfilling local needs. Keeping fit is easy; exploring the raw beauty of Tobermory’s stony hills and rocky, clear waterbeds actually make working out a great pleasure. Enjoy an abundance of everything from activities like boat tours and charters, and throwbacks to Tobermory’s shipping heritage in St. Edmunds Township Museum. And for those days when you and the kids want a bit of adventure and a break from the daily ‘grind’, grab your tanks and masks and explore a shipwreck at the Shipwreck Diving Capital of Canada, Fathom Five National Marine Park.

Good Things:

  • If orchids are your thing, take a trail hike at the right time and you’ll likely spot a rare Calypso or Showy Ladies Slipper - Tobermory is home to the highest concentration of native orchids in North America.
  • Amateur photographer? Tobermory’s your place. With a natural backdrop of tall pines and cedars and the feature of the Niagara Escarpment cliffs, you won’t need to try very hard for that perfect shot.
  • Close up shop for the day and travel to new heights: Little Cove Adventures offers high and low ropes courses to take true advantage of the area’s tall trees.
  • A real diving haven, the Tobermory Hyperbaric Chamber & Facility draws divers, doctors, patients and researchers for study and education. Even if you’re not a diver yourself, your potential clients could be, with members of the diving community travelling from all over North America to put the Facility to use.