Posted: January 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-samsung-in-7-billion-deal-for-green-energy/article1439002/
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is reaching half way around the globe to fast track the creation of North America’s first green-energy manufacturing sector, in a bid to make the province the go-to place for parts suppliers, equipment designers and operators.
His government signed a $7-billion deal yesterday with a consortium led by South Korean industrial giant Samsung Group that will cost every electricity customer in the province an extra $1.60 a year on their bill for 25 years.
Other related references: Mobilizing a Word-Class Energy Workforce
Posted: January 22nd, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Journalism is undergoing a massive transformation as the digital era takes hold. The Canadian Association of Journalists assembles in Toronto on Jan.30.
For more information see: http://www.caj.ca/
The Canadian Association of Journalists and the CAJ Education Foundation are kicking off the decade with a groundbreaking conference where news staff and management can learn about emerging techniques, technologies and models to transform journalism for the 21st century. The conference focuses on skills, strategies and tactics that journalists and their organizations can start implementing immediately.
Just a few of the leaders speaking at the conference:
- Jim Brady, president, digital strategy, Allbritton Communications; former executive editor of WashingtonPost.com
- Bill Buxton, principal researcher, Microsoft Research
- John Cruickshank, publisher, Toronto Star
- Michael Lee, chief strategy officer, Rogers
- Patrick Lor, president, Fotolia North America
- Rachel Nixon, director of digital media, CBC News
- Kenny Yum, editor, GlobeandMail.com
The conference is structured in four tracks:
- A novice to intermediate track for working journalists to learn key principles of how and why to use various tools, techniques and technologies, including social media such as Twitter and Facebook.
- An intermediate to advanced track for journalists familiar with social media, online and computer fundamentals to build and apply those skills and knowledge to investigate and tell stories in new ways.
- An executive and senior manager track to help decision makers explore and understand strategic issues, news and business models.
- An “unconference” style track to enable attendees to self-organize, discover and engage in deep-knowledge grassroots sessions.
Posted: January 19th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
The “Innovation Lives Here” Manifesto has been published on the http://mobile.innovatetoronto.ca beta site.
Posted: January 19th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Innovate Toronto has an iphone-optimized beta site at mobile.innovatetoronto.ca. All feedback is appreciated!
Posted: December 12th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | 4 Comments »
I met with a bright and inspired group of digital media innovators at OCAD in Toronto for the Digital Media Camp, (see tweets from the day here: http://twitter.com/#search?q=dmcamp). The challenge for the day was how to make Toronto into a globally competitive digital media hub.
A wide variety of topics discussed, including the digital media vision for the new WaterfrontToronto initiative which will have ultra high speed broadband from day one. Other breakout topics in the wide-ranging “unconference” format included everything from how to connect Toronto digital media to the Canadian Digital Media Association (CDMA) to improving digital media services pricing models.
The key takeaway for me today was that the Toronto digital media community assembled doesn’t have a big, galvanizing vision as a cluster. In breakouts, we discussed that part of the reason is that digital media is itself an enabler to a variety of other industries. David Ticol (http://twitter.com/dticoll) (working on a project for http://www.greatertoronto.org/ to promote ICT to the younger generation) proposed that tackle a few large problems, including digital health care, would help to focus a digital media hub. There’s a lot of individual fractured activity by very smart people but the digital media community needs an identity, and a focus.
As I reflect on the day, I realize the missing element for me was an agreed upon measure of a globally competitive digital media hub and how we would know when we got there. Based on what metrics would the Toronto Digital Media community know it was globally competitive? My personal view is that Toronto-based companies would create winning business models that would create jobs in Toronto. These winning business models and services would attract investment globally to Toronto. Sticking with the performance measures theme, how many new digital media jobs created in Toronto would be necessary before we crossed the finish line of being “globally competitive”? Are there other intangible measures such as number of digital patents that we can track? I look forward to tackling the question of measurement next time!
Thanks to all the sponsors and Mark Ruznicki (http://twitter.com/remarkk) for facilitating today’s event!
Alan Wunsche
twitter.com/alanwunsche
Posted: November 15th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
MaRS
MaRS (Medical and Related Sciences) is a non-profit innovation centre connecting science, technology and social entrepreneurs with business skills, networks and capital to stimulate innovation and accelerate the creation and growth of successful Canadian enterprises.
CSI Toronto
The Centre for Social Innovation is a dynamic space in downtown Toronto, Canada. Its mission is to spark and support new ideas that are tackling the social, environmental, economic and cultural challenges we face today.
OCAD
The Ontario College of Art and Design’s (OCAD) Digital Futures Inititiave and the Mobile Experience Innovation Centre (MEIC) are outstanding examples of OCAD’s contribution to innovativeness in the Toronto region.
Toronto Board of Trade
Toronto has recently published the following reports on the prosperity of the Greater Toronto Region:
From World-Class to World Leader: An Action Plan for the Toronto Region
Toronto as a Global City: Scorecard on Prosperity
Missing your organization? Please contact info@innovatetoronto.ca
Posted: November 15th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
RBC – Next Great Innovator Challenge
RBC is an innovator in applying open innovation principles and is actively stimulating Canadian innovation. RBC uses a variety of techniques, including challenges, to identify external innovations that can improve its core business and help it grow into new areas.
If you have examples of other innovative public companies, please contact info@innovatetoronto.ca.
Posted: November 7th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Key Industry Clusters
| Industry Cluster | Description |
| Aerospace | A bush plane, a business jet and the International Space Station's Canadarm - all depend on technology created in Toronto's dynamic aerospace cluster. |
| Biomedical and Biotechnology | Breakthrough research in bioinformatics, proteomics and genomics – plus extensive public-private investment – sustain dramatic growth in the largest biomedical cluster of any North American metropolitan area. |
| Business Services | Attracting corporate head offices and global professional firms with its infrastructure and expertise, the Toronto business services cluster ranks with North America’s best. |
| Design | The ideal balance of design skills, innovative thinking and marketing acumen fostered by North America's third-largest design workforce and one of the world's leading centres of design: Toronto. |
| Fashion/Apparel | Fuelled by acclaimed designers, trendsetting retailers and cost-efficient manufacturers, Toronto’s fast-moving fashion cluster has helped increase Canadian apparel exports to the U.S. by 550% since 1994. |
| Film & Television | Toronto is one of North America’s leading centres of film and TV production, thanks to a favourable exchange rate and a wealth of
experienced creative and technical talent. |
| Financial Services | Combining top talent, infrastructure and government support, Toronto is Canada’s banking and investment capital, and home to the third-largest financial services cluster in North America after New York and L.A. |
| Food & Beverage | Easy access to the lucrative U.S. market along with innovative retailing and a highly flexible co-packing industry make Toronto’s food processing cluster the second largest and fastest growing in North America. |
| Information & Communication Technology | Expert talent, high-speed communications, industry-leading R&D and a reputation as the most cost-effective business centre on the continent have made Toronto a global hub for IT and New Media development. |
| Tourism | Close to the U.S., Niagara Falls, and Ontario's scenic wilderness, Toronto welcomes 18 million visitors a year to its superb attractions, cultural events, entertainment, shopping an dining. |
Source: Key Industry Clusters
Posted: November 7th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
Municipal Organizations
| Organization | Mandate |
| Invest Toronto | The mission of Invest Toronto is to promote Toronto as a destination for businesses to invest, grow and prosper. |
| Build Toronto | Build Toronto will engage private and public sector partners in the development of underutilized City real estate to unlock the value of the properties, stimulate job creation in key sectors and regenerate Toronto's neighbourhoods. |
Posted: November 7th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Uncategorized | No Comments »
It’s time to think of Toronto as the Greater Toronto Region, not merely as the City of Toronto.
The Toronto Board of Trade (BOT) recently released the report “From World-Class to Word Leader: An Action Plan for the Toronto Region“. After extensive consultation, the conclusion was clear:
A clear message that emerged from the Greater Toronto Region Economic Summit was the need for all municipalities in the GTA to think and act as a region. As the Summit’s final report states: “Too often, we have allowed municipal boundaries to divide us.”
By thinking and acting together, we can be more than the sum of our parts. To compete effectively with great global cities like Hong Kong, Paris and New York, all parts of the Toronto region need to be performing well.
These conclusions have profound implications for the way that the individual municipalities of the Greater Toronto Region collaborate and channel investment.
Of particular immediate interest is the opportunity available to Invest Toronto. Invest Toronto, an arms-length corporation of the City of Toronto with its own independent Board of Directors, has a mandate to market the attractiveness of Toronto to the world. If successful, more capital and talent will flow into the region. The BOT’s report clearly advocates that Invest Toronto should view its mandate broadly as a promoter of the broader Greater Toronto Region.
Alan Wunsche
(Follow @alanwunsche on Twitter)
