Bel-Con Design-Builders: Plenty of Business in Manufacturing-Rich Bay of Quinte

June 3, 2026

We’re finding that there’s a lot of opportunity here for businesses that are moving out of the GTA where land costs are just crazy. Tom Gunsinger, co-owner of Bel-Con Design-Builders

Bel-Con Design-Builders builds for or provides expansion and renovation services to industrial, commercial and institutional entities. Their clients include other fixtures in the region, such as:

• WK Kellogg Co
• SafeStart
• Hanon Systems Canada
• Triangle Fluid Controls
• Quality Custom Blending
• Sprague Foods

These industries enjoy the advantages of doing business in Bay of Quinte – not only is the land cheaper but taxes are lower. The region also has easy access to efficient transportation; it’s located right between Toronto and Montreal with the significant transportation hub Highway 401 running through it. 

Bel-Con began in Bay of Quinte over 50 years ago, and the company was bought by Tom Gunsinger and Michelle Stephens just over 20 years ago. 

Building and Succeeding in Bay of Quinte

Bel-Con Design-Builders was one of the first builders in the area to operate under the design-build model in which a consulting team puts together a design for their client and then implements the whole build, expansion, or renovation. This is in contrast to the traditional contractor model in which architects and engineers develop a set of plans to be bid on by builders. 

The design-build model is advantageous for the customer. Communications are easier and more streamlined because there is a single source to talk to; clients can easily convey their requests to the design team. This method improves the timeline of a build. 

Living and Succeeding in Bay of Quinte

“A lot of clientele are also relocating because they like the lifestyle – a little bit slower lifestyle as opposed to being in the city and fighting the traffic every day.” Tom Gunsinger, co-owner of Bel-Con Design-Builders

Besides the lower operating costs of running a business in Bay of Quinte, residents enjoy lower housing costs than in the big city along with a good lifestyle in uncrowded communities.

Organizations in the region that support new and current industry include:

• The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Bel-Con works with them to ensure construction financing allows projects to get their start and add to the richness and vibrancy of Bay of Quinte.
• Loyalist College, which has a long history of preparing the dense labour pool of the region for high-skilled jobs. Some of the Bel-Con employees came out of those programs; Tom himself is a 1982 Loyalist graduate.
• Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC), which provides economic development support. QEDC also runs a government-funded training program called Elevate Plus that allows skills training to align with what manufacturing employers need, which further ensures employee retention.

Industries, businesses, and entrepreneurs have access to ready information, connections, and resources through the Quinte Economic Development Commission (QEDC). Please contact the QEDC team, or call +1 (613) 961-7990.