South Bruce Peninsula will hire a consulting firm to look at a branding strategy for the urban area of Sauble Beach.
On Monday, council awarded the work to Tante Consulting for about $75,000.
A staff report to council says, “Recent changes to the ownership and official naming of the 2.4-kilometre sand beach along Lake Huron, now formally recognized as Saugeen Beach (formerly Sauble Beach) have generated community dialogue and questions regarding local identity, place-making, and long-term positioning of the area.”
Staff say, “The purpose of this initiative is to establish a forward-looking community identity that builds civic pride, supports sustainable economic development, and creates a refreshed and cohesive brand that resonates with residents, visitors, businesses, and investors. The strategy will guide the creation of a renewed market brand that reflects both the community’s evolution and its future aspirations.”
Back in December 2025, Council authorized staff to reallocate the funds previously earmarked for the replacement of a Sauble Beach sign to a branding strategy for the urban area of Sauble Beach.
The Town received 13 proposals, and staff say $75,000 was the average price, with the lowest around $31,000 and the highest around $140,000.
Staff say Tante Consulting has specialists in branding, graphic design, economic development strategy and indigenous engagement.
The staff report says, “Public engagement will be extensive and will include a combination of digital surveys, creative workshops both in person and virtual community visioning exercises and in person pop-up and interviews.”
Manager of Economic Development and Communications Danielle Edwards told council, “The engagement plan is key to the success of the strategy, so it will be extensive and it will include a combination of digital surveys, creative workshops both in-person and virtual, community visioning exercises and, in person pop-ups and then one-on-one interviews. So the engagement will be intense.”
Deputy Mayor Caleb Hull noted Sauble has a retro brand right now, and wondered what would happen if consultants recommend a different direction.
Edwards noted, “This is an exciting opportunity to develop a forward-thinking community identity that is new, innovative and different fro the current branding.”
CAO Bill Jones added, “The outcomes from this might be that people like the retro look. That might be something that stays. it may not, so that’s one of the things we’re going to find out with this process. Obviously this process is happening now because there’s been some changes at the beach and I think it’s a great time to look and see if maybe the previous direction was the right way to go.” Jones noted any suggested changes would be put before council.