North Hastings has the enviable position of being located equidistant between the GTA and Ottawa, and right below Algonquin Park. Demographics demonstrate that there is a sizable market for services in North Hastings; when you add together the permanent and seasonal resident population within the 72 km catchment area, the market in North Hastings is more than 60,000 people. Primary industries include Retail trade, Health Care & Social Services, Construction, and Accommodation and Food Services. Home to Communities with Opportunities, artisan food and beverage businesses, furniture makers, live theatre, multimedia producers, numerous artists, along with many large name retailers and suppliers including Sobeys, Loblaws, Shoppers, Canadian Tire, etc. With the natural and physical beauty of the landscape complemented by creative and innovative entrepreneurs, North Hastings is good for business.
One of the most beautiful areas of Eastern Ontario, North Hastings is widely recognized for its abundant lakes, rivers and incredible outdoor recreational opportunities, and is also home to many cultural facilities and community organizations and events. It’s a place where everyone, including the recently arrived, can feel a sense of belonging. It’s easy to get involved in the cultural and social scene, so much so that newcomers report that they are participating in community activities that they would never have dreamed of being involved in. It is very much a “come as you are” place where socio-economically diverse people mix easily, a place where everyone has the space and freedom to follow their dreams and their passion, be it becoming an entrepreneur, an artist, an actress, or community leader! It is a place where you can re-invent yourself. North Hastings has the best of both worlds, a perfect mix of rural and urban living. It has the privacy, solitude and natural landscapes that are part of rural living with urban services such as great shopping, restaurants, theatre, medical services, educational facilities, internet service etc. close at hand. Major centres and international airports are less than a tank of gas away, yet you can walk out your door and see a deer foraging in the forest, hear whip-poor-wills calling to each other and enjoy the quiet and solitude you have been looking for.