Where in Dufferin for a retail shop?

General information only. This is not legal, financial or real-estate advice. Rates and fees change: confirm every figure with the municipality and agency named before you rely on it, and speak to an accountant or lawyer before you sign a lease, buy property or commit money. Free, confidential help: the Orangeville and Area Small Business Enterprise Centre (serves Dufferin County; 519-941-0440 ext. 7310, [email protected]).

Weights and sorting (change what matters to you)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft) 1 Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr) 1 Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment) 1 Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr) 0.5 Market gap score for this business (0–100) 2 Labour force, 2021 Census (people) 1 Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min) 1

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Mono

62score

Scored on 5 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $20.33Town of Mono Development Charges effective July 16, 2026 (By-law 2024-28), checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.012%Town of Mono 2026 Tax Rate Bylaw (Treasurer memo Apr 20, 2026, Schedule C); passed Apr 28, 2026 (2026), checked 2026-10-21100/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): not found
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 66Top gap: Convenience store (7 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis76/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 5,190Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-2123/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 49 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-2195/100 × weight 1

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Grand Valley

56score

Scored on 6 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $14.86Town of Grand Valley DC brochure, By-law 2024-33, effective Aug 7, 2026, checked 2026-10-2135/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.486%Town of Grand Valley By-law 2026-33, Schedule A (2026), checked 2026-10-2119/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): $1,149Town of Grand Valley By-law 2026-20, Schedules K (water) and L (wastewater), checked 2026-10-2190/100 × weight 0.5
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 74Top gap: Car dealer (2 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis100/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 2,240Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-214/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 63 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-2160/100 × weight 1

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Orangeville

49score

Scored on 7 of 7 factors

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $18.07Town of Orangeville Development Charges page (By-law 2024-060, indexed), checked 2026-10-2114/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): $20.96Orangeville Official Plan Review – Commercial Land Use Strategy technical memo (Parcel Economics, Aug 13 2026), Figures 2.1–2.3, based on CoStar and May 2026 inventory, checked 2026-10-21100/100 × weight 1
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.594%Town of Orangeville Summary of Tax Rates for 2026 (2026), checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): $1,221Town of Orangeville, Water and Wastewater Base Monthly Charges and Metered Rates – 2026, checked 2026-10-2173/100 × weight 0.5
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 44Top gap: Car dealer (2 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis9/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 16,765Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-21100/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 47 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-21100/100 × weight 1

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Amaranth

48score

Scored on 6 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $4.63Township of Amaranth 2026 DC pamphlet (By-law 40-2024, Schedule B), checked 2026-10-21100/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.231%Township of Amaranth 2026 tax levy by-law, Schedule A (council agenda copy; passed Apr 15, 2026, by-law number blank in this copy) (2026), checked 2026-10-2162/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): $1,107Township of Amaranth Water Rate Study (Watson & Associates, Feb 13 2026), approved by Council March 18, 2026, checked 2026-10-21100/100 × weight 0.5
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 49Top gap: Convenience store (5 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis24/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 2,500Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-215/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 68 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-2148/100 × weight 1

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Shelburne

37score

Scored on 6 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $16.71Town of Shelburne DC pamphlet (By-laws 45-2025, 46-2025), updated Jan 28, 2026, checked 2026-10-2123/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.523%Town of Shelburne By-law 18-2026, Schedule A (2026), checked 2026-10-2112/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): $1,332Town of Shelburne 2026 Adopted Budget, 2026 Water and Wastewater Operating, checked 2026-10-2147/100 × weight 0.5
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 60Top gap: Clothing store (3 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis58/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 4,790Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-2121/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 70 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-2143/100 × weight 1

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Melancthon

29score

Scored on 5 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $5.81Township of Melancthon DC pamphlet effective Jan 1, 2026, checked 2026-10-2192/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.108%Township of Melancthon 2026 tax rates (By-law 13-2026, Schedule D) (2026), checked 2026-10-2184/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): not found
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 41Top gap: Car dealer (4 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis0/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 1,740Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 87 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 1

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East Garafraxa

27score

Scored on 6 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): $12.09Township of East Garafraxa DC pamphlet effective Jan 1, 2026, checked 2026-10-2152/100 × weight 1
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.259%Township of East Garafraxa By-law 11-2026, Schedule A (2026), checked 2026-10-2158/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): $1,527Marsville Subdivision Drinking Water System Financial Plan 2025–2030 (approved March 11, 2025), Table 5, checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 0.5
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 41Top gap: Convenience store (5 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis0/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 1,670Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 60 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-2168/100 × weight 1

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Mulmur

19score

Scored on 5 of 7 factors (missing factors are left out, not counted as zero)

Development charges, commercial ($/sq ft): not found
Average net rent, retail / commercial ($/sq ft/yr): not found
Commercial property tax rate (% of assessment): 2.142%Township of Mulmur 2026 Tax Rates (2026), checked 2026-10-2178/100 × weight 1
Typical water + sewer bill ($/yr): $1,528Township of Mulmur Water Study and Financial Plan (O.Reg. 453/07), 2025, projected rates table, checked 2026-10-210/100 × weight 0.5
Market gap score for this business (0–100): 43Top gap: Car dealer (3 gaps in this sector), checked WhyDufferin gap analysis6/100 × weight 2
Labour force, 2021 Census (people): 2,015Statistics Canada 2021 Census Profile, checked 2026-10-212/100 × weight 1
Drive to nearest Hwy 401 exit (min): 82 minOSRM free-flow estimate, checked 2026-10-2113/100 × weight 1

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How the ranking works

Each factor is scored 0–100 across the eight towns that have a value for it: the best town gets 100, the worst 0, others in between (min–max). For costs and drive time lower is better; for gap score and labour force higher is better.
A town's overall score is the weighted average of the factors it has data for. Missing values show "not found" and are left out of that town's average. They never count as zero. Each card says how many factors it was scored on; a town scored on fewer factors is less certain.
Gap score: the highest WhyDufferin gap score for this business's sector in that town (method). A town with no gap listed has a real value of 0 (no shortfall found), not missing data.
Default weights: market gap 2, water 0.5, development charges 1, everything else 1. Budget does not change the ranking; it is passed to the starter plan.
Lease rates are published for Orangeville only (town-level); the Dufferin County average is not copied into other towns, so they show "not found". Tax is the latest year found, commercial class, municipal + County + education. Drive times are free-flow estimates.
This ranking is an indication, not a recommendation. It covers only factors with published data; zoning, the actual site and your customers matter more.

All data from Costs, Taxes, Gaps, Labour and Access. Want two towns in detail? Side-by-side view.