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Tariff Support for Rural Oxford Businesses
JTK Meat Shoppe staying '100% Canadian' through a decade in Verschoyle
A Sweet Spot in the Heart of Tavistock
Stopping to Smell the Flowers: A Healing & Resource Centre
Irv's Ice Cream Shop proving it takes a village in Mount Elgin

Rural Oxford County, Ontario

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Small-town charm, big business potential.

Rural Oxford Economic Development helps local business owners and investors explore commercial opportunities and potential sites across Oxford’s five rural townships — Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford, and Zorra. We provide confidential guidance, at no cost to you.

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Downtown Tavistock in East Zorra-Tavistock

People. Proximity. Prosperity.

What makes this region work.

  • People: over 40,000 residents and a skilled, multi-generational workforce across agriculture, trades, and manufacturing.
  • Proximity: positioned at the junction of Highways 401 and 403, within a day's drive of over 130 million consumers.
  • Prosperity: 2,000 sq. km of agricultural and commercial land supporting long-term, stable growth.
  • Partnership: direct relationships with local planning and building departments in all five townships.
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Real People. Stronger Together

Why Choose Rural Oxford.

“I think it’s the connection with the people that come in. A lot of people I know on a first-name basis, and we catch up on more than just, oh, what are you having for supper tonight.”

- Bob Jantzi, Krug's Meat Market

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Bob Jantzi behind the counter at Krug's Meat Market

“When I moved out here 20 years ago, there was maybe one-tenth of the houses that there are now, and we knew everyone. There’s still a pride in your community and a desire to get to know your neighbours, and this kind of allows people to do that.”

- Katie Prouse, Irv's Ice Cream Shop

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Katie Prouse and staff at the counter of Irv's Ice Cream Shop in Mount Elgin

“It’s home. My neighbours also have been my neighbours for a very long time. So there’s that sense of community. Small businesses work well together. I don’t feel like I’m competing for traffic with others in our spaces. There’s a sense of using each other’s skills and growing each other’s businesses.”

- Danielle Paluska, Wild Comfort Body Care

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Danielle Paluska of Wild Comfort Body Care with her handmade products

“You meet your customer base everywhere. You can walk uptown Woodstock, and fifteen people at the restaurant know who you are. It’s kind of nice, you walk by, hey Jeff, hey Shawn. It’s like, yeah, saw you in the shop yesterday.”

- Jeff Veldjesgraaf, JTK Meat Shoppe

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“It’s just so magical. That’s Rural Oxford. It could happen in a bigger city, but it just feels so natural and so joyful and smooth to make connections.”

- Stephanie Malo, Stopping to Smell the Flowers

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A Supportive
Business Community

A Great Place
to Live & Work

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A Thriving
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Latest articles

News and stories from across the region.

Business Spotlight

JTK Meat Shoppe staying '100% Canadian' through a decade in Verschoyle

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Business Spotlight

A Sweet Spot in the Heart of Tavistock

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Business Spotlight

Stopping to Smell the Flowers: A Healing & Resource Centre

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Business Spotlight

Irv's Ice Cream Shop proving it takes a village in Mount Elgin

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Read More Stories

Supported by

A partnership across five townships.

Rural Oxford Economic Development is a non-profit corporation funded by the Townships of Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford, and Zorra.


If you are navigating business growth in one of Rural Oxford’s townships – Make us your first call.

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Blandford-Blenheim
East Zorra-Tavistock Logo

East Zorra-Tavistock
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Norwich
Township of South-West Oxford Logo

South-West Oxford
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Zorra
Walk into a grocery store and you can just as easily find Australian or Brazilian beef on the shelf as anything raised down the road. For Jeff Veldjesgraaf, that never sat right. With 30 years in the hog industry, Jeff and his wife Tanya wanted to promote Canadian and Ontario product. "We are 100% Canadian," he says, and the meat counter at JTK Meat Shoppe in Verschoyle has never deviated. This year marks ten years since the doors opened in 2016, growing from a single freezer into a full shop with its own Smoke and Grill and just under 30 staff. What Jeff is proudest of is who's standing beside him. With his son Shawn stepping fully into the business, succession has become a lived reality. Next up is more space, new products, and a collaboration with farmers aimed at making the beef supply over 80% Ontario. Read the full story https://ruraloxford.ca/jtk-meat-shoppe-staying-100-canadian-through-a-decade-in-verschoyle/ #RuralOxford #SouthWestOxford #Verschoyle #BusinessSpotlight #ButcherShop #ShopLocalOxford #FamilyBusiness
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Walk into a grocery store and you can just as easily find Australian or Brazilian...

Sheri Bell didn't set out to create just another place to grab an ice cream cone. She wanted to create the kind of place she wished had been there when her own kids were young: somewhere in Tavistock where families could slow down, share a treat, and make a memory without having to leave town. Tavi Chill opened in September 2022, fittingly on Fall Fair weekend, as an ice cream parlour and deli serving Kawartha Dairy ice cream alongside made-to-order sandwiches, salads, and soups. Hand-rolled waffle cones made in-house were non-negotiable. "I've always believed that memories correlate with many senses," Sheri says. There are board games and Ms. Pac-Man for families, and each December, 24-flavour ice cream advent calendars. Now Sheri is eyeing slushies, soft-serve, dairy-free and sugar-free options, and grab-and-go treats. Read Sheri's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/tavi-chill-a-sweet-spot-in-the-heart-of-tavistock/ #RuralOxford #EastZorraTavistock #Tavistock #BusinessSpotlight #IceCreamSeason #ShopLocalOxford #FamilyFriendly
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Sheri Bell didn't set out to create just another place to grab an ice cream...

We are sharing an opportunity to participate in the 2026 Workforce Survey. The survey is open to people aged 16 and older who work or are seeking work in Elgin Middlesex Oxford. It asks about people’s experiences, needs and challenges in the workforce. Your feedback will help local organizations identify workforce trends and inform the development of programs, services and strategies that better support workers, job seekers, employers and communities. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and will remain open until October 31st. Complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LER_Emp Participation is voluntary, confidential, and responses will be analyzed collectively.
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We are sharing an opportunity to participate in the 2026 Workforce Survey.

The ...

Big possibilities await in Burgessville, ON! This 114.28± acre property sells February 9 by unreserved auction. Featuring a spacious country home, a 10,200± sq ft shop with office and apartment space, and extensive outbuildings, this property offers more than just farmland. Whether you’re growing an agricultural business or looking for a property with room to expand, this could be your next opportunity. 👉 Explore the property: https://ow.ly/sa4F5100Rn8
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Big possibilities await in Burgessville, ON! This 114.28± acre property sells February 9 by unreserved...

Opportunity in Norwich! This turnkey commercial property at the corner of West Street and Main Street in Springford, just minutes from Tillsonburg, offers a gas station and convenience store operation with a solid income stream. The business generates strong net income annually from both store and gas sales, with rental income from U-Haul, Canada Post, and food truck sale providing multiple revenue streams. Financial statements and a recent environmental report are available for review. With strong business performance and significant growth potential, this property is well positioned to deliver long-term value for the right owner-operator. https://www.realtor.ca/real-estate/29980742/3-west-street-n-norwich-springford #RuralOxford #Norwich #Springford
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Opportunity in Norwich! This turnkey commercial property at the corner of West Street and Main...

It started with a pile of cash on the kitchen table and a family wondering what on earth had just happened. Stephanie Malo hadn't set out to build a business. She'd just written a book. In 2012 she brought the first title in her Stopping to Smell the Flowers series to the Thamesford library, and the response surprised her. Two more books followed, but the business didn't take shape until a counsellor pointed out that her nightly habit of lighting a candle and watching her thoughts pass was meditation. It changed her life, and her kids noticed before she did. She started a meditation group about a decade ago that outgrew the library, a church, and a rented space before she built a meditation hut of her own. Today she offers group sessions, the Light Circle, and one-to-one work, with a new membership program, a podcast, and speaking engagements on the horizon. What she's proudest of is hearing people leave the hut and ask, "Does everything look different to you?" Read Stephanie's full story https://ruraloxford.ca/stopping-to-smell-the-flowers-a-healing-resource-centre/ #RuralOxford #ZorraTownship #Thamesford #BusinessSpotlight #MindfulnessMatters #SmallBusiness #WomenInBusiness
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It started with a pile of cash on the kitchen table and a family wondering...

Congratulations to Jade and family on your grand opening of Hometown Beauty Salon in downtown Norwich. You’ve created such a beautiful and welcoming space, and a much needed asset for the community. https://hometownbeauty.ca #ruraloxford #hometownbeauty #smallbusiness #grandopening #norwichontario
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Congratulations to Jade and family on your grand opening of Hometown Beauty Salon in downtown...

Got a product crossing provincial or international borders? Bioenterprise Canada wants to hear from you. Bioenterprise is exploring how to better support Ontario's agri-food, agri-tech, and food-tech companies as they expand into new Canadian and international markets beyond the U.S. They're gathering input on where businesses are in that journey, the barriers they're running into, and what kind of support would actually move the needle. Rural Oxford is home to a growing base of agri-food and agri-tech innovators across Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford, and Zorra, and this is a direct line to shape the programming built to support that growth. If you're an innovator in this space, share your perspective. If you're not, pass this along to someone in your network who is. Complete the survey: https://agritechcentre.wufoo.com/forms/zh3w7ic0oihvt5/ #RuralOxford #AgriFood #AgriTech #MarketExpansion #OxfordCounty
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Got a product crossing provincial or international borders? Bioenterprise Canada wants to hear from you....

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