Why
Find your opportunity: Restaurant or café in Grand Valley
Should I do this? · quick read Indication only
Promising — worth a closer look
67out of 100 · 8 of 12 points from 6 of 6 signals How scoring works
Verified fact
Why Favourable: +30.3% growth is at or above the county's 7.3% (Favourable) · 2 of 2 points
Indication only
Why Neutral: 4 restaurants and cafes mapped vs about 4.8 expected at the county rate (83%; Neutral is 70–130%) · 1 of 2 points
Verified fact
Why Neutral: unemployment 7.8% is not above the county's 10% (Neutral; Labour is never rated Watch) · 1 of 2 points
Indication only
Why Watch: 0 of 0 reviewed listing(s) here fit your budget (Watch) · 0 of 2 points
Verified fact
Why Favourable: 2 open or check-intake program(s) match your type and stage (Favourable is 2+, Neutral 1, Watch 0) · 2 of 2 points
Verified fact
Why Favourable: 100% of ISED map areas have 50/10 Mbps for most homes (Favourable is 75%+, Neutral 40–74%, Watch under 40%) · 2 of 2 points
How this is worked out
Full scoring rules, sources and limits
This is an indication only: a quick summary of the figures on this page, not a forecast, market study or advice. Each of six signals is rated Favourable (2 points), Neutral (1) or Watch (0):
- Demand: the community's 2016–21 population growth. At or above the county (7.3%) is Favourable; at or above Ontario (5.8%) is Neutral; below Ontario is Watch.
- Competition: only businesses of your chosen type (for a restaurant or café: restaurants + cafés; not pubs or other food types). We compare how many are mapped with how many the community would have at the county-wide rate per resident. If fewer than 2 would be expected, the sample is too small and it says Not enough data. 70% of expected or fewer is Favourable; 70–130% Neutral; more than 130% Watch (crowded). "Anywhere in Dufferin" is always Not enough data.
- Labour: unemployment above the county rate (more people looking for work) is Favourable; otherwise Neutral.
- Space: at least one reviewed WhyDufferin listing that fits your budget is Favourable, none is Watch; if we have no reviewed listings at all it is Not enough data.
- Funding: 2 or more open or check-intake programs matching your type and stage is Favourable, 1 Neutral, 0 Watch.
- Internet: share of ISED map areas where most homes get 50/10 Mbps. 75% or more Favourable, 40–74% Neutral, under 40% Watch.
Signals with Not enough data are left out. The score is the points earned divided by the points possible, out of 100. If fewer than 4 signals have data, no score is shown. 67 or more reads "Promising", 45–66 "Mixed", under 45 "Challenging".
The evidence
Market & competition
Our directory lists 5 food & drink businesses in Grand Valley (61 county-wide).
Our directory is incomplete. A low count is not proof of demand.
Gaps nearby
- 🗺 Fast food / takeout in Grand Valley: 1 mapped vs ~2.8 expected; nearest Mr. Sub (~14.9 km) · score 62
People & demand
- Population 2021
- 3,851 (30.3% since 2016)
- Median household income
- $101,000
- Participation
- 72%
- Unemployment
- 7.8%
- Commute out of town
- 85.6%
- Renters
- 14.3%
Costs: wages & workforce
| Job (NOC) | Region $/h | Ontario $/h |
|---|---|---|
| Restaurant and food service managers (60030) | 27.47 | 27.47 |
| Chefs (62200) | 22 | 22 |
| Cooks (63200) | 18 | 18 |
| Food and beverage servers (65200) | 18 | 17.6 |
| Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations (65201) | 17.6 | 17.6 |
| Food service supervisors (62020) | 19.23 | 19 |
Business counts Verified fact
| Industry | NAICS code | Grand Valley | Dufferin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food services and drinking places | 722 | 7 | 116 |
| Full-service and limited-service eating places | 7225 | 6 | 108 |
| Accommodation and food services (all) | 72 | 7 | 127 |
Census industry employment Verified fact
Accommodation and food services employs 2.9% of the labour force living in Grand Valley, vs 5.2% county-wide and 5.3% in Ontario.
Wages for key occupations Verified fact
| Occupation | NOC code | Low | Median | High | Ontario median |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurant and food service managers | 60030 | $17.60 | $27.47 | $48.08 | $27.47 |
| Chefs | 62200 | $17.60 | $22.00 | $34.19 | $22.00 |
| Cooks | 63200 | $17.60 | $18.00 | $24.00 | $18.00 |
| Food and beverage servers | 65200 | $17.60 | $18.00 | $28.00 | $17.60 |
| Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | 65201 | $17.60 | $17.60 | $20.00 | $17.60 |
| Food service supervisors | 62020 | $17.60 | $19.23 | $24.43 | $19.00 |
| Bartenders | 64301 | $17.60 | $20.00 | $33.00 | $20.00 |
Grand Valley at a glance Verified fact
- Commuting: 85.6% of commuters with a usual workplace work outside Grand Valley.
- Labour force participation 72%, unemployment 7.8% (county 69.3%, 10%).
- Median household income (2020) $101,000 (county $108,000).
- Renter households 14.3%; median tenant shelter cost $1,110/month.
- CMHC rent data is published for Orangeville only (average $1,532, October 2025).
Internet and transit Verified fact
Broadband: in 5 of 5 ISED hexagons in Grand Valley, more than 75% of households can get 50/10 Mbps.
No GO Transit stops in Grand Valley (GTFS feed 20261005110625).
Space, utilities & internet
No reviewed listings in Grand Valley yet.
- Power
- Orangeville Hydro in the town (Grand Valley Energy merged into Orangeville Hydro on Jan 1, 2009); Hydro One in the rural part
- Gas
- Enbridge Gas is the county's gas utility; confirm the address with Enbridge
- Water
- Municipal water in the village; rural properties: ask the town about wells and septic
- Internet
- See /data#broadband for coverage by area
Property tax: see residential, commercial and industrial rates for this town
Next steps
Your plan
- Talk to the free SBEC before spending money.
- Visit the area and the comparable businesses; talk to owners.
- Shortlist locations and check zoning with the municipality.
- Draft a business plan and cash flow, then check funding.
Find a space: commercial realtors
The Mullin Group (Mike Mullin, Broker; Shane Mullin, REALTOR®)
Amanda Ross, Sales Representative
Ann Butler, Sales Representative
James Tasca, Broker of Record
Utilities & internet
- Power
- Orangeville Hydro in the town (Grand Valley Energy merged into Orangeville Hydro on Jan 1, 2009); Hydro One in the rural part
- Gas
- Enbridge Gas is the county's gas utility; confirm the address with Enbridge
- Water
- Municipal water in the village; rural properties: ask the town about wells and septic
- Internet
- See /data#broadband for coverage by area
Property tax: see residential, commercial and industrial rates for this town
Who to call
- Town of Grand Valley: zoning and planning
- Town of Grand Valley: building permits
- Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health: food premises
- Dufferin County Economic Development · [email protected]
- Orangeville & Area Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC)
- Dufferin Board of Trade
- Community Futures South Georgian Bay
Weigh it up
See Grand Valley side by side with another community, same business and budget.