Key Sectors

Cobourg combines attractive lifestyle featured with a successful business development attitude.  As “Ontario’s Feel Good Town”, Cobourg offers that resort style atmosphere with a “business first” attitude. 

Cobourg supports a diverse and stable economy. Our industrial base has kept us strong when many other communities suffered large losses in the manufacturing sector.  With over 900 businesses, our primary employment sectors include plastics, food and health care with retail, tourism and innovation also employing a significant number of citizens. 

Manufacturing Employment 

Cobourg enjoys a diverse industrial base, manufacturing a wide variety of products from airport communication towers to foil laminated paper products. Companies such as Belden Canada Inc. and Lakeland Multi-Trade have called Cobourg their home for over 40 years.

Cobourg has a long history in food manufacturing. Some of these industries include Canada Candy and Baxter's Bakery. These food industries manufacture such products as candy and baked goods.

Service, Retail and Innovators 

The service, retail, and innovation sectors are key drivers of Cobourg’s local economy, contributing significantly to employment, investment, and community prosperity. Cobourg’s service sector provides a strong foundation for growth, meeting the needs of residents, businesses, and visitors through a diverse range of professional, financial, and personal services. The town’s retail sector, anchored by a vibrant and historic downtown, offers a dynamic mix of independent merchants, artisans, and specialty shops that enhance both the local economy and the visitor experience. Complementing these traditional strengths,  Cobourg’s innovation ecosystem—led by initiatives such as the Venture13 Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre—supports startups, technology firms, and small businesses that are shaping the future of the regional economy. Together, these sectors represent Cobourg’s balanced approach to sustainable economic development, fostering opportunity, resilience, and growth across the community.