Elgin County has a long history of being a diversified farming community. From tobacco to livestock and vegetable farming, Elgin County has it all.
Elgin County is interested in attracting more greenhouse operations to the area including nurseries, garden centers and vegetable production.
In Elgin County there are currently over 100 000 sq. meters of greenhouse in operation comprised of 52 greenhouse, nursery and floriculture farms.
Greenhouse operations in Elgin County can benefit from access to well developed infrastructure that supplies services including natural gas, three phase electrical power, an appropriate source of water, and transportation links.
Our location, skilled work force, and business costs make Elgin the ideal locale for any size of greenhouse operation to meet the growing consumer demand for innovative and higher-quality products.
Moving or expanding a greenhouse business to Elgin County will give the competitive advantage that the business needs to succeed.
The Elgin Advantage
Location and Transportation
With 70% of the greenhouse market exported to the United States, any greenhouse operation can take advantage of excellent logistics to ship their produce.
Climate
Elgin County enjoys a long growing season that averages between 208 to 214 days and 2,900 to 3,100 heat units annually. This is ideal for a greenhouse operation.
Land & Space
Lower land costs in Elgin County mean higher profitability for greenhouse businesses.
Living in Elgin
Discover 120 kilometres of lakeshore, with welcoming communities for your family.
Savour Elgin Local Food
Savour Elgin is a culinary trail through Elgin County that highlights some of the best restaurants, farms, wineries, and other culinary attractions that focus on food and drink local and unique to Elgin County and St. Thomas.
Success Stories
Family Flowers
Family Flowers was established in 1994 by Edward (Ed) and Annette Weesjes. They started the business with the help of their four children, two of whom continue to involved in the family business. Greenhouses full of homegrown flowers and plants for each season to pick through, shop for garden decorations and indoor home living items, and feed the Pygmy Goats, Sheep, Donkeys, Pony and Chickens in Family Flowers Mini Farm.
Canadale Nurseries
Bill and Joan Intven emigrated from the Netherlands in 1950 with a dream of owning a nursery. That dream was realized when Canadale Nurseries was established on a sandy loam farm in Central Elgin in 1955. Two of their seven children came into the business and now manage the retail (Pauline) and wholesale business (Tom). They offer a wide variety of products such as colourful perennials, lush evergreens, flowering shrubs and ornamental trees. The 110- acre award-winning nursery uses the most advanced greenhouse technology for its production facility. Canadale Nurseries is no stranger to awards having received the "Landscape Ontario Consumer's Choice Award" as Ontario's Favorite Garden Centre for 4 out of 5 years running 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005. Canandale Nurseries also received the Better Business Bureau of Western Ontario’s "Business Integrity Award, 2001," and the Landscape Ontario Awards of Excellence for both Garden Centre and Grower Programs.
Ontario Plants Propagation Ltd.
Ontario Plants provides greenhouse vegetable transplants for North America's greenhouse vegetable producers, and employs up to 140 people during their busy season. The use of the best technology and tools is an essential element and focus of Ontario Plants, contributing to their success in growing and providing the best plants possible. With 18 acres under glass, the capacity to produce almost 15,000,000 vegetable plants annually, Ontario Plants is a booming business in Elgin County.