Waleed Shami is a 26-year-old entrepreneur from Mississauga. Waleed was able to purchase a 15-acre land in Clifford and is in the works to convert it into a mixed-use property. He plans to lease out the units once the project has been completed.
“The programme was very helpful financially and helped to speed up the process”
In the beginning of his project, Waleed reached out to his local Economic Development Officer in Minto to learn about the requirements needed, as well as to see if there are any support for young entrepreneurs like him. “I was really impressed with Belinda,” recalls Waleed. “She was very involved, and I was able to get replies very quickly.” During his time in the programme, he was able to get 2 study grants approved: a traffic impact study and a geotechnical study grant. The studies were a requirement in order to apply for a building permit.
“When I connected with Minto, they involved the municipality and business developers and helped [me] understand how the County and the municipality worked,” Waleed responded when asked about what aspect of the programme he found beneficial. “[Entrepreneurs] should clearly talk with their Economic Development staff and explain to them what they’re looking for as they are always listening and looking to help. They should start with their local city or township,” he added. As of the interview, Waleed is in the process of development, hoping to provide 84 housing units and 2 commercial units in Clifford.
When asked to summarize his experience with the programme, Waleed answers “The programme was very helpful financially and helped to speed up the process”.