Why
Find your opportunity: Restaurant or café in Orangeville
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 Watch: +4.4% growth is below Ontario's 5.8% (Watch) · 0 of 2 points
Indication only
Why Watch: 52 restaurants and cafes mapped vs about 37.8 expected at the county rate (138%; Watch is above 130%) · 0 of 2 points
Verified fact
Why Favourable: unemployment 10.8% is above the county's 10%, so more people are looking for work (Favourable) · 2 of 2 points
Indication only
Why Favourable: 10 reviewed listing(s) fit your budget (Favourable is 1 or more) · 2 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 41 food & drink businesses in Orangeville (61 county-wide).
Our directory is incomplete. A low count is not proof of demand.
Gaps nearby
- 🗺 Farm shop / market in Orangeville: 1 mapped vs ~3.6 expected; nearest Reid's Potatoes & Farm Market (~8.6 km) · score 73
People & demand
- Population 2021
- 30,167 (4.4% since 2016)
- Median household income
- $103,000
- Participation
- 69.9%
- Unemployment
- 10.8%
- Commute out of town
- 56.3%
- Renters
- 24.3%
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 | Orangeville | Dufferin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food services and drinking places | 722 | 73 | 116 |
| Full-service and limited-service eating places | 7225 | 70 | 108 |
| Accommodation and food services (all) | 72 | 74 | 127 |
Census industry employment Verified fact
Accommodation and food services employs 5.8% of the labour force living in Orangeville, 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 |
Orangeville at a glance Verified fact
- Commuting: 56.3% of commuters with a usual workplace work outside Orangeville.
- Labour force participation 69.9%, unemployment 10.8% (county 69.3%, 10%).
- Median household income (2020) $103,000 (county $108,000).
- Renter households 24.3%; median tenant shelter cost $1,360/month.
- CMHC, Orangeville: average rent $1,532, median $1,405, vacancy 3.5% (CMHC Rental Market Survey, October 2025 (primary rental market, row and apartment)).
Internet and transit Verified fact
Broadband: in 1 of 1 ISED hexagons in Orangeville, more than 75% of households can get 50/10 Mbps.
- Orangeville and Shelburne fibre to the home · Under way (Wightman construction updates)
Providers: Wightman Telecom 1-888-477-2177 (check) · Execulink Telecom 1-866-706-1991 (check). All provider contacts
GO Transit: 19 stops, 37 Orangeville / Brampton, up to 12 departures a day at the busiest stop (GTFS feed 20261005110625).
Space, utilities & internet
Industrial building and land for sale · sale · Industrial · 12,250 sq ft building on 3.17 acres · Price not shown
Retail unit at Orangeville Shopping Centre · lease · Retail · 683 sq ft · Rent not shown
Downtown offices, The Foley House · lease · Office · Up to 1,500 sq ft (6 offices) · Gross lease, rate not shown
Third-floor office or studio, Unit 3A · lease · Office · About 488 sq ft · $1,220.60/month + HST (year 1 of 5-year lease, includes utilities and taxes)
Industrial unit sublease, Unit 6 · sublease · Industrial · 1,650 sq ft plus office · $2,800/month incl. rent, TMI and HST (utilities extra)
Loft-style upper-floor office, Unit B · lease · Office · 1,850 sq ft · $18/sq ft net + TMI
Downtown retail/service unit, Unit 20 · lease · Retail · About 1,838 sq ft · $24/sq ft net + TMI
Downtown corner main-floor unit · lease · Retail · About 1,200 sq ft · $24 (as shown) + TMI about $9.74
Industrial unit, Unit 4 · lease · Industrial · 1,450 sq ft · $14/sq ft/yr + TMI, utilities, insurance
Commercial unit in established plaza · lease · Retail · About 1,900 sq ft · $33/sq ft net + about $12/sq ft additional rent
- Power
- Orangeville Hydro (Town of Orangeville)
- Gas
- Enbridge Gas is the county's gas utility; confirm the address with Enbridge
- Water
- Municipal water and sewer (town)
- Internet
- Wightman fibre to the home (Wightman construction updates); see /data#fibre
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 (Town of Orangeville)
- Gas
- Enbridge Gas is the county's gas utility; confirm the address with Enbridge
- Water
- Municipal water and sewer (town)
- Internet
- Wightman fibre to the home (Wightman construction updates); see /data#fibre
Who to call
- Town of Orangeville: zoning and planning
- Town of Orangeville: 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 Orangeville side by side with another community, same business and budget.