Community Growth and Economic Development
As of January 1, 2025, the Planning and Economic Development Department was renamed the Community Growth and Economic Development Department. This change reflects the department's evolving roles and responsibilities with an emphasis on sustainable growth and collaboration in Durham Region. For additional information, please read the full Council Report.
The Regional Municipality of Durham's Community Growth and Economic Development Department consists of four divisions that are responsible for establishing and implementing a long-term vision for the growth and economic prosperity of the region.
Community Growth Division
The Planning Division was renamed the Community Growth Division.
The Community Growth Division consists of five sections committed to delivering professional and high-quality services for residents, businesses and government:
Previously known as the Plan Implementation section, which historically led the development approvals function, the new Development Advisory Services section effectively co-ordinates Regional comments on local development applications, street naming within the Region of Durham, the Regional Woodland By-law, and other planning matters.
Integrated Growth Management and Policy
The Policy Planning and Special Studies section is now the Integrated Growth Management and Policy section, driving integrated planning initiatives focusing on policy, research and data analysis. This section provides support for policy review, strategic initiatives, growth management, and data monitoring and reporting.
The Transportation Planning section implements the Durham Transportation Master Plan by undertaking projects and initiatives that support active transportation, cycling, carpooling, and the identification and protection of long-term transportation network needs. For additional information, please visit our Transportation Planning page.
We help bring data to life. Our GIS & Visualization team uses maps, graphics, and interactive tools to turn complex information into clear, meaningful stories. Whether it’s creating dashboards, infographics, or spatial analysis, we make it easier for residents, businesses, and decision-makers to understand what’s happening in their community. By combining reliable data with innovative technology, we support transparency, encourage public engagement, and help build a better Durham Region.
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) works to coordinate and plan rapid transit projects around high-density development to create transit-oriented communities.
The TOD team works with key stakeholders across the Region to coordinate the planning of the GO Lakeshore East Extension to Bowmanville and intersects with other Regional departments such as: Government Relations, Finance, Legal and Community Growth to facilitate the delivery of capital projects.
Citizen engagement is encouraged and facilitated through the involvement of advisory committees on agriculture, environment and active transportation.
Economic Development and Tourism Division
The Economic Development and Tourism Division is responsible for providing business services to attract new investment; enabling a vibrant tourism industry; providing agricultural and rural programming; and, supporting the growth of our Regional economy through our two corporate brands.
The priority of Invest Durham is to create and retain jobs, increase non-residential assessment and promote the region as the best place to live, work and invest. Our main objectives are to create job opportunities and investment in our five priority clusters: Future Energy; Next Gen Mobility; Arts, Culture and Creative; Applied Digital Tech; and Agri-Food. We engage in strategic business missions, partners with local area municipalities, industry, educational institutions and various international agencies.
Durham Tourism is the Destination Marketing Organization for our region and assumes the lead in championing Durham Region as an enticing destination. We work collaboratively with regional and municipal tourism partners, tourism businesses and destinations, cultural organizations and others to bolster our region’s tourism offerings and reinforce its standing as an appealing and dynamic destination.
The Economic Development and Tourism Division consists of four sections committed to business attraction, retention and expansion, as well as visitor attraction:
The Agriculture and Rural team works to grow the rural economy in Durham Region through focused business retention and expansion efforts, business attraction and growth of the tourism industry and visitor economy. As a key component of the rural economy, this team also supports growth of the agri-food industry across the region.
Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD)
In 2024, the Business Advisory Centre of Durham (BACD) merged with Invest Durham to continue helping start-up businesses and entrepreneurs, and help support and grow Durham's innovation community through a more integrated approach. BACD helps existing businesses and start-up companies in Durham Region with one-on-one advisory meetings, and provides support with business planning and developing action plans.
The Business Development Team is committed to providing seamless concierge services to support business expansion and job creation across Durham Region. Our team provides business intelligence, specialized market research, workforce data, site selection support and connections to key partners in our community. For businesses planning a new facility or expanding their business, our dedicated specialists provide tailor-made support to facilitate foreign direct and domestic investment, as well as business retention and expansion.
Marketing, Tourism & Creative Industries
Marketing: We develop creative marketing strategies to promote our region as the best place to visit and do business; providing marketing support for a variety of cross-team projects. This includes campaign development—strengthening Durham's brand recognition through compelling visuals, messaging and other mediums to achieve strategic goals and support the growth of our local economy.
Tourism: We promote and support tourism in alignment with our goals of urban excitement and country charm; strengthening quality of place; championing inclusive tourism; driving prosperity through local love; and achieving broader economic development goals. This includes supporting agri-tourism operators; championing and facilitating Rural Economic Development (RED) projects; spearheading tourism sector business retention and expansion (BR+E) initiatives; cultivating the film, television, and music industries; hosting multisport games; and, orchestrating an array of sector-specific activities to support and grow the local tourism economy.
Creative Industries: We promote Durham Region to domestic and foreign producers as a jurisdiction of choice for film and television production, and provide a range of services to decision makers to facilitate production. We also develop strategic initiatives to unite the local music ecosystem and play an active role in growing the local music industry.
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Strategic Initiatives Division
The Strategic Initiatives Division leads the development and implementation of corporate strategies and plans, providing advice and enhancing the integration of policies and initiatives across internal departments and externally across public, private and non-profit sectors.
Environment and Climate Division
The Environment and Climate Division is Durham Region’s centre of excellence on key environmental sustainability priorities. We champion the Region’s response to the climate crisis. Our work includes supporting the greening of the Region’s internal operations, and working with external partners (local area municipalities, energy utilities, conservation authorities, and more) to empower all communities, and to maintain and grow the Region’s reputation as a leader in environmental stewardship and climate action.
Following the Region’s declaration of a climate emergency in 2020, we developed the Corporate Climate Change Action Plan that set net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets for the corporation by 2045 and community-wide by 2050. Additionally, implementing the Durham Community Energy Plan and the Durham Community Climate Adaptation Plan are strategic plans that help achieve these targets. These strategies guide our transition to a cleaner energy future, reduce GHG emissions, and prepare the community for climate impacts such as extreme heat, flooding, and severe weather.
Our team helps to advance the Region’s environmental and climate action priorities in close collaboration with other departments and stakeholders. Priority areas include:
We are working to reduce the environmental impact of Regional operations. This includes improving the energy performance of Regional buildings through deep energy retrofits, transitioning heating and cooling systems to low-carbon alternatives, adding renewable energy systems, and shifting fleet vehicles to electric options. These efforts help lower operational costs, improve energy efficiency, and demonstrate leadership in climate action.
Supporting the growth of renewable energy projects and district energy systems to provide clean, efficient heating and cooling for homes, businesses, and institutions. We collaborate with local municipalities, utilities, and the private sector to plan and enable these low-carbon energy systems that will power Durham’s future growth sustainably.
Natural Environment and Urban Forest
Supports Regional departments, conservation authorities, local area municipalities and partners on projects that enhance and protect Durham’s natural systems, provide ecoservices, community resilience, and reduce urban heat island effect. Examples include the LEAF Backyard Tree Planting program, Durham TREES for urban/suburban and rural properties, SNAP (Sustainable Neighbourhood Action Program), Invasive Phragmites management, and significant wetland restoration projects.
Infrastructure & Flood Resilience
Provides support to other Regional departments in reducing climate related risk and achieving sustainable infrastructure design and delivery, such as Works’ Sustainable Infrastructure Policy, Transportation system flood vulnerability assessments and guidelines, as well as with Conservation Authorities’ floodplain mapping updates and flood risk reduction projects.
Building Retrofits for Energy Efficiency and Severe Weather
Through programs such as Durham Greener Homes and Durham Greener Buildings, we help residents, property managers, and business owners reduce energy use and improve building performance. These programs offer tools, resources, and incentives to make energy upgrades more accessible and affordable while contributing to Durham’s low-carbon transition. Recent updates help residents reduce the impact of severe weather on their homes, including flooding, extreme heat, and wind.
Tracking and Reporting Progress
We monitor and report on the Region’s progress toward its net zero targets, climate resilience, and energy objectives through the annual progress report to Council as well as on the Durham Climate Dashboard - an interactive online tool that tracks key performance indicators and showcases climate initiatives from across the Region. The dashboard helps ensure transparency and keeps staff and residents informed about our progress toward a sustainable future.
Collaboration and Partnerships
We coordinate working groups, advisory committees, and partnerships that bring together expertise from across the Region. The Durham Climate Roundtable, for example, connects representatives from municipalities, community organizations, utilities, and the business sector to guide collective climate action. By fostering collaboration, we align efforts across departments and sectors to achieve shared goals.
Climate change affects all aspects of life in Durham Region - from public health and infrastructure to economic stability and environmental well-being. Acting today helps reduce future risks, protects natural resources, and strengthens the resilience of our communities.
By investing in clean energy, green infrastructure, and strong partnerships, the Environment and Climate Division is helping to build a sustainable, resilient, low-carbon Durham Region - for current and future generations.
Contact: Ian McVey, Director of Environment and Climate at ian.mcvey@durham.ca.