Join us Out in the County, with Robert Watson!
Norfolk County Economic Development is proudly Rainbow Registered. Read on to discover why that is important to the area, and stay tuned for more exploration of Port Dover and Norfolk County.
We’re located in beautiful Norfolk County in Southwestern Ontario, known for our stunning Lake Erie waterfront, rich agricultural heritage, and our vibrant tourism sector. Our job at Norfolk County Economic Development is to make sure that anyone who wants to build a business, raise a family or a visit here feels genuinely welcome.
That’s not separate from economic development; that is economic development. That context is really important for understanding why Rainbow Registered mattered so much to us. The motivation for us was simple but profound. We needed to demonstrate our commitment, not just to declare it. Our team had been talking a lot about inclusion. It’s in our strategic plan, but we had a an honest conversation. Are we actually demonstrating this in ways that people can see and trust, or are we just saying nice things?
That’s when we discovered Rainbow Registered. It gave us a framework, a roadmap, with specific criteria that we had to meet. It wasn’t about us just declaring ourselves allies, it was about meeting national standards set by the Canadian Queer Chamber of Commerce. The journey involved examining our policies, our hiring practices, our marketing, how we show up in the community. So it pushed us to be intentional. What that means to us now is accountability. We made a public commitment that we’re measured against.
For the region, it’s also a signal. We know that for 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who are considering Norfolk, visitors wondering if they’ll feel welcome here, young people deciding whether to stay or leave – Rainbow Registered says Norfolk doesn’t just talk about inclusion, we walk the walk. We’ve done the work, and we’ll keep doing it.
And that commitment isn’t just symbolic, it’s having a real impact and it shows up in ways that are both tangible and intangible. Tangibly, Rainbow Registered helped us to identify businesses and organizations that share these same values. We’re building an ecosystem here of aligned partners who reinforce this message together. That’s powerful for visitors. They’re not just seeing one Rainbow Registered location, they’re experiencing a whole community committed to inclusion.
For tourism, specifically the 2SLGBTQ+ travel market is significant and discerning. These are travellers who research carefully. They want to know that they’re spending their money in communities that genuinely welcome them. Rainbow Registered gives them that confidence about Norfolk. It’s become part of our tourism brand story.
But here’s the intangible part that might matter more:
It’s changed internal conversations. Local businesses see us leading on this and ask how they can get involved. It’s created momentum. When businesses feel empowered to be inclusive, when visitors feel safe being themselves, when residents see their community reflecting their values, everyone benefits economically.
Inclusion isn’t a cost center, it’s a competitive advantage.
And this brings me to what I really want visitors to know: Come as you are, be fully yourself here. Norfolk County isn’t just a beautiful place to visit, though we absolutely are that with our Lake Erie Shoreline and charming communities. But we’re also a place where you can relax completely because you don’t have to wonder if you’ll be welcomed. You will be.
When you see Rainbow Registered at Norfolk County Economic Development, Lighthouse Festival, those rainbows on the doors at businesses throughout the region, that is not performative; that’s a promise we’ve backed up with action and accountability.
We want you to leave saying, Norfolk gets it. They’ve thought about this. They’ve created space for me.
And then we want you to come back, and bring friends and maybe even consider investing here, starting a business here, making a life here, because here’s what we believe: Norfolk’s strength is in all our people. When everyone can show up fully and contribute authentically, this entire community wins.
That’s the Norfolk we’re building, and we want you to experience it for yourself.
This work never ends. Inclusion is not a destination, it’s a practice, but we’re committed to it. We’re accountable for it, and we invite anyone who shares these values to join us in Norfolk County.
Susan Gardner
Senior Economic Development Officer
Norfolk County Economic Development