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Kingston - Where history and innovation thrive

Kingston is a bustling urban hub and a leading Canadian economy, on the fastrack to becoming a smart city. Kingston attracts both national and international attention for its exceptional livability, business and job opportunities, and cultural scene.

Kingston is known for being Canada’s first capital, this city is located in Southeastern Ontario along the beautiful shores of Lake Ontario. Surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, it is almost equidistant from Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Living in Kingston offers a close connection with nature, affordable housing, and a premium quality of life. Its economy is stable and diverse, its people are one of the happiest and smartest. Kingston is also sought-after as a music destination.

#1 Small City for Foreign Direct Investment

Source: (2017 Financial Times UK)

#1 Place to be a Woman in Canada

Source: (2019 The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives)

#6 Start-Up Ecosystem globally for cities with 100,000- 300,000 population

Source: (2021 Startup Blink)

The smartest workforce in Canada

Kingston ranks #1 In Canada for PhD Holders Per Capita, making it the smartest workforce available in the country.
In 2017, Financial Times recognized Kingston as one of the top ten cities in North America for Human Capital.
With Kingston Economic Development Corporation being a referral partner for Global Skills Strategy (GSS), employers can get Labour Market Impact Assessments in ten business days and work permits in ten business days.
Top universities like Queen’s University, Royal MIlitary College of Canada, St, Lawrence College attract national and international students in very high volumes every year.
With its deep history in Chemical technology and Metallurgy, Kingston has a very mature human capital infrastructure to foster the third wave of chemical- based start-ups in the city.
Top program completions in Kingston range from Business, management, and marketing, Health professions, Education, and Engineering.

Build yourself a bright future

Kingston’s quality of education has been instrumental in achieving accolades such as the ‘smartest workforce’ and ‘Top 10 for Human Capital’.
Kingston is home to four school boards, several private schools, 39 public schools, a college and two universities.
20,000+ bright young minds relocate to Kingston every year to attend Queen’s University, the Royal Military College of Canada, and St. Lawrence College.
Families have easy access to safe and affordable childcare options, world-class programming, and an array of summer camps tailored to a myriad of interests.

Live among the happiest people

Kingstonians encompass a profound sense of community and are also the happiest people in the country!
From gorgeous waterfront homes to comfy downtown lofts, Kingston offers stunning and affordable housing options, it is becoming a preferred choice for educated millennials and affluent retirees.
It was voted Top City to Raise a Family (Today’s Parent) , thanks to its state-of-the-art healthcare, high quality education, and sprawling access to nature.
You can enjoy short commutes to work here because Kingston’s urban, suburban and rural spaces are all within easy driving distance of each other. You could live anywhere and get to work in 20 minutes. You can even cycle to work with 129 kilometres of bikeways already in place.
Kingston is a windy city, and considered one of the best fresh water sailing spots in the world.
The city is very proud of following values of sustainability. They take their urban green spaces, lush parklands, and swimmable, drinkable, fishable water very seriously.
For centuries, Kingston has been inspiring artists, writers and musicians. From country to punk, Kingston always has something up everyone’s music alley.

Where investment meets opportunity

Kingston’s advantageous combination of strategic location, state-of-the-art infrastructure, diverse workforce, and high concentration of research and development centres makes it a hotbed for investment.
Strategically located along the Canadian and American border, just a day’s drive presents 130 million North American consumers.
Kingston offers shovel-ready business parks that are owned by the city and equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure, available at lower costs than urban centres. Furthermore, Kingston waives off development charges for industrial uses.
The city also offers low corporate taxes and access to over $40 million in Provincial and Federal incentives, making it an ideal location for businesses.
Large corporations like DuPont, INVITSA, Bombardier, GreenCentre Canada, and Grafoid have been making the most of the research partnerships available with Kingston’s local colleges and universities for speedy advancement.
Kingston provides access to Canada’s most educated workforce, with two-thirds of its population having completed some post-secondary education. The city has a high percentage of certificate, diploma, and degree holders.

Kingston Support Services

Sitting at the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, Kingston is located at the confluence of Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and the Cataraqui River.

Kingston’s reputation as a progressive city with a history of pioneering research and innovative solutions has made it a favoured destination for young investors and global enterprises seeking to establish roots.

In Kingston you will find proactive business support for new and existing entrepreneurs. The City fosters growth by involving entrepreneurs, start-ups, students, artists, creative residents, and growth-oriented companies to promote opportunities for local businesses.

Companies looking to expand their customer base, open a satellite office, develop distribution channels or partnerships are welcome to ‘land’ in Belleville, Ontario. Work with our team of consultants who will ensure your transition is a smooth one by providing:

Dedicated programs helping international firms explore the City of Belleville as a landing site for expansion/investment into the North American Market
Business Services – Professional support from legal, immigration and taxation, business coaching and mentoring, introductions to business networking organisations.
Relocation Services – Dedicated staff providing concierge services to help you “land” in Belleville.
Mix of different office spaces ranging from coworking spaces to premium Class A office suites

Key Sectors

Kingston, Ontario’s location, sector-specific talents, market accessibility, and prime real estate offer significant benefits to businesses. The city focuses on sectors with a long-term, sustainable outlook, positioning itself as a leader in its peer group.

CleanTech

Electric Vehicle & Battery Technology

Health Innovation

Chemical and Metallurgy Capabilities

Life Sciences

Agri Food Industry

Research & Development

Warehousing & Distribution

Sustainable Manufacturing

Access to Markets

STRATEGIC LOCATION

Kingston is the regional centre for Eastern Ontario. It is located on Ontario’s major 401 highway, rail lines, St. Lawrence river and is also home to YGK airport, providing easy access to national and international markets.

The area within an eight-hour drive of Kingston represents the third largest GDP concentration in North America. This includes:

14.5M people in the Toronto-Ottawa-Montréal corridor
25M people within 8-hour drive
130M people within a day’s drive

Proximity to major markets include:

TORONTO, ON 260 km / 161 mi
OTTAWA, ON 190 km / 118 mi
MONTREAL, QC 280 km / 174 mi
SYRACUSE, NY 213 km / 132 mi
NEW YORK CITY 600 km / 372 mi
BOSTON, MA 645 km / 400 mi

Access to the US Market from Kingston includes:

Highway
Direct HWY 401 and I-81 access
Border
1000 Islands International Bridge/I-81: 45 km / 28 mi
Avg Border Wait Time (Trucks) 0-5 min
Shipping
Picton Terminals – Deep Water Terminal: 65 km / 40 mi
Airport/Rail
Kingston Airport – $16M Expansion (2019)
VIA Rail Station – 5th Busiest Passenger Rail
CN Rail – Freight Service Available

GATEWAY TO GLOBAL MARKETS

Canada’s trade agreements cover markets valued at over US$50 trillion with 1.7 billion consumers. Canada has free trade agreements with the largest manufacturing markets in the world: United States (USMCA), the European Union (CETA) and Asia-Pacific (CPTPP).

CPTPP allows seamless trade flows between Ontario and numerous Asian-Pacific countries, eliminating tariffs on auto parts and phasing out all tariffs on passenger vehicles by 2023.

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