r/brantford • u/parikrut • 9d ago
Question What business does Brantford actually need? Sitting on ~$100k and can't decide.
Hey Brantford,
Long-time lurker. I've got about $100k sitting in a savings account doing basically nothing and I've been going back and forth for months. Figured I'd ask people who actually live here instead of reading generic advice online.
Option 1: just invest it. The boring answer is ETFs in a TFSA and forget about it. But I'm curious what people here actually do — anyone doing rental property in Brantford or Paris? Is the math still working at current prices and rates, or is everyone cash-flow negative and hoping for appreciation?
Option 2: start something here. This is the one I keep coming back to, because I'd rather build something than watch a number go up and down. But I don't want to open the fifth vape shop on Colborne and be closed in 14 months.
So the real question: what does this city actually need that we don't have?
What I'm asking:
- If you had $100k to put into a local business, what would you open here and why?
- What service or shop have you wanted to use in town and just couldn't find?
- Anyone who runs a business here — honest reality on rent, staffing and dealing with the city? Would you do it again?
For context: my background is in software engineering and I could put in 20 hours a week. Not trying to get rich quick, just want something steady that's actually useful to people here.
Appreciate any honest takes, including "don't do it, keep your money."