NCFDC’s 2025-2026 Impact Across South Simcoe
From April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, the Nottawasaga Community Futures Development Corporation (NCFDC) continued to play a powerful role in strengthening entrepreneurship, investment, and economic resilience across South Simcoe. With support from the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), NCFDC delivered responsive financing, business advisory services, and community-focused support that helped local entrepreneurs move forward with confidence.
Small businesses remain at the heart of our regional economy, and throughout 2025-2026 NCFDC stayed focused on helping entrepreneurs start, grow, and sustain their ventures. By combining flexible capital with practical guidance, the organization supported business owners as they navigated opportunities, addressed challenges, and invested in long-term success.
This was a remarkable year of impact. NCFDC received 14 loan applications totaling $1,499,500 and closed 12 deals valued at $1,466,180. These investments helped support 11 businesses, including 5 start-ups and 6 businesses that expanded or maintained operations, while contributing to 41 full-time equivalent jobs created and maintained. Across its broader business services, NCFDC also delivered 613 in-depth counselling sessions to non-loan clients, 194 interviews with loan clients, 101 referrals, and supported 187 businesses through counselling and information services, contributing to 188 jobs created or maintained.
NCFDC’s support extended well beyond financing. Throughout the year, the organization remained deeply engaged with regional partners and entrepreneurs across Adjala-Tosorontio, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Essa, Innisfil, and New Tecumseth. NCFDC also continued to champion inclusive entrepreneurship through specialized supports for women, youth, Indigenous entrepreneurs, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups, ensuring opportunity was accessible across the region.
Event programming this fiscal year, showcased NCFDC’s strong commitment to connection, learning, and visibility for entrepreneurs across South Simcoe. Highlights include the Entrepreneur Financial Literacy Series launched on September 3, 2025; the 2025 Small Business Week event on October 30, 2025; the 2026 AgKnowledge Forum & Vendor’s Market on February 27, 2026; and the 2nd Annual Fuelled by Females Celebration of Women’s Day on March 7, 2026.
A standout achievement during the year was the Entrepreneur Financial Literacy Series, a six-module bi-weekly online program designed to build financial knowledge and resiliency for business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs. The program included live-plus-recorded format, practical tools, and expert mentorship creating lasting value for participants. This program underscores the organization’s commitment to practical, high-impact education for entrepreneurs.
The 2025 Small Business Week event was another major success, bringing entrepreneurs together for a full day of learning, networking, municipal updates, and the featured workshop Mind Over Money. The event was an engaging, high-value experience that combined practical business insight with strong community participation.
Through these achievements, NCFDC demonstrated once again that local impact grows when entrepreneurs have access to the right mix of capital, expertise, and community connection. Every investment, advisory session, and program delivered during 2025-2026 contributed to a stronger, more vibrant, and more resilient South Simcoe economy.
Looking ahead, NCFDC is well positioned to build on this momentum. The organization remains committed to expanding access to financing, deepening entrepreneurial support, and creating meaningful opportunities that help businesses and communities across South Simcoe thrive.
This year’s results clearly show the breadth of NCFDC’s reach. The organization supported entrepreneurs at every stage of business development, from first-time founders taking the leap into business ownership to established companies pursuing expansion and modernization. Strong activity across both financing and advisory services signals not only demand for support, but confidence in NCFDC as a trusted regional partner.
One especially exciting example of entrepreneurial success in the region is AlbaLisa All Natural Mexican Food, an Alliston-based company that has grown into a standout Ontario food manufacturer known for its organic tortillas, tortilla chips, and jalapeño sauces made with fresh, organic, GMO-free, and preservative-free ingredients. AlbaLisa demonstrates an impressive evolution from its early incubator roots to broader recognition and distribution in specialty and gourmet retail locations across the province. Its continued growth is a wonderful reflection of the innovation, determination, and market potential that NCFDC is proud to help nurture across South Simcoe.
NCFDC’s 2025-2026 investment portfolio also reflected a strong commitment to inclusive growth. Of the 12 closed deals this year, financing supported Indigenous entrepreneurs, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and visible minority business owners. With 43 active investments in the portfolio valued at $3,080,814, NCFDC continues to play a vital role in making entrepreneurship more accessible and in helping local businesses build a stronger future.
2025 – 2026 Annual Report and Performance Results
For more information, please contact:
Martin Kuzma, CEO, Nottawasaga Futures | martin@nottawasaga.com
About FedDev Ontario
Since 2009, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our impact stories, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.