GTA HotNews

 GTMA Activities & Announcements:

1

New U.S. Consul to Speak at GTMA Fall Luncheon Event – October 10

GUEST SPEAKER:

Mr. John R. Nay

Consul General of the United States of America

"Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies."

On Tuesday, October 10th, the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance is honoured to present, John R. Nay, the recently appointed Consul General of the United States of America in Toronto for his inaugural address to the business community. Consul General Nay’s experience spans the globe, with postings at the U.S. Embassies in New Delhi, Taipei, and Singapore as well as the U.S. Consulates in Calgary and Johannesburg, and the Department of State in Washington, D.C.

As in previous years, the fall luncheon has been very popular and has always sold-out! This is primarily a business-networking event, attracting over 250 attendees from business, government, academia and non-profit organizations from across the Greater Toronto Area.

The Toronto Board of Trade, Downtown Centre, 1 First Canadian Place (11:45 a.m. – 1:45 p.m.) will play host to the GTMA’s Luncheon Event.

 We invite you to join us October 10th, in welcoming Mr. Nay. click here to reserve your tickets or corporate table.

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2

Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP Renews Partnership with GTMA

We’re delighted to announce that Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, one of Canada’s leading full-business service law firms, has renewed their partnership with the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance. Over the past years, FMC has been great supporters of the GTMA having participated in our business missions abroad, servicing prospective investment clients and has been an active member of the GTMA’s GTA Advanced Manufacturing Committee, in attracting investment in the automotive, aerospace and design sectors. We look forward to continuing our partnership in 2006-2007.

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CONTACT:

Don Macintosh

Partner    

1 First Canadian Place, Suite 4100

100 King Street West

Toronto, ON M5X 1B2

T: 416-361-2330

F: 416-863-4592

don.macintosh@fmc-law.com

3

Join the GTMA’s Business Mission to India – Feb 2007

Plans are underway to take a business mission to India. Cities included are New Delhi, Gurgaon, Bangalore and Mumbai focused around the NASSCOM conference in Mumbai and will include pre-qualified meetings, roundtables, site visits, and presentations. The focus of the mission will be on ICT, financial services, BPO and related advanced systems enabled by ICT. The tentative departure date is Friday, February 2, returning Saturday, February 10. The trip will be developed in partnership with other organizations in the GTA and in consultation with the Canadian Consulate in Mumbai and High Commission in New Delhi, the Confederation of Indian Industries, among others.

NASSCOM, the National Association of Software and Services Companies serves as a key interface to the Indian software industry and facilitates business and trade to encourage advancement of research in software technology. Its member companies, now representing more than 1000 of India’s top ICT firms and 95 percent of the revenue of the IT software and services industry in India, are in the business of software development, software services, and IT-enabled/BPO services. NASSCOM has played a leading role in ensuring quality of service and the enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in the Indian Software industry.

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Swedish Industry Delegation Business Luncheon in Durham Region – October 26

The GTMA is currently working with the Honorary Consul of Sweden in Toronto and the Trade Commissioner of Sweden to organize a visit by a Swedish Delegation to the Durham Region focused on the Energy and Environment industry (EN2). The Delegation is part of a larger visit with the King and Queen of Sweden who will be visiting Canada in late October. The GTMA was able to host the King and his business delegation for the first time in 1999. In addition to meetings and presentations with GTA businesses and community leaders, the Durham Region, in association with the Durham Strategic Energy Alliance (DSEA), UOIT, among others, are organizing a luncheon with speakers from Sweden and the GTA on October 26. It is expected that a federal Minister from Sweden will accompany the delegation to Durham for the luncheon and meetings. The cost of the lunch is $40 per person. Details about the speakers and venue will be announced shortly. To book a spot at the luncheon, please contact Karen Hunt, Region of Durham, 905-668-4113, extension 2601 or karen.hunt@region.durham.on.ca.

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Join the GTMA on an Energy and Environment-Focused Business Mission to Sweden

Plans are underway to take a business mission to Sweden to attend the 3rd International Green Conference (June 18-20, 2007) in Västerås, Sweden. In addition to the conference, the mission will be an opportunity to seek out additional meetings, site-visits and related programs in key centres in Sweden and possibly other related regions in Europe focused on Energy and Environmental industries. For further information, please contact John Jung at 416-360-6701 or jjung@greatertoronto.org.

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Gowlings & GTMA to Host Global Waterfronts Presentation

Architect, urban designer and author, Richard Rees, from Building Design Partnership in London, UK will be giving a presentation at Gowlings on October 25 on global waterfronts that his firm has been involved in. Richard is the chief architect and lead designer for Waterfront City in Melbourne, Australia. The event is organized by the GTMA.

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GTMA Presentation at EDCO Regional Meetings on Investment Readiness

MISSION AUSTRALIA, A Canadian Delegation Goes DownUnder for Urban Development and Infrastructure Partnership

The success of the GTMA’s recent Australia Investment Mission continues to capture the interest of media, with a recent feature article in the “ReNew Canada.” Pitching the investment opportunities in the GTA was part of the strategy in closing the $5 billion “investment Gap” between Australia and Canada. With a strong GTA-contingent from the real estate development community, the opportunities to redevelop Toronto’s waterfront were forefront in the presentations to Australian investors. The article goes on to review some of the lessons learned during the 10-day investment mission. GTMA President Karen Campbell remarked that one of the goals of the mission was to “learn from these dynamic Australian cities–especially their accomplishments in waterfront infrastructure revitalization and urban development.”

To read more of the interview and the full article click on Mission Australia or visit RenewCanada.

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Coveted Prize Captured as Camaro Roars into Oshawa

The competition is huge," said Chris Piper, a professor at the Richard Ivey School of Business in a recent Toronto Star article Coveted prize captured as Camaro roars into Oshawa. "Every state governor, every city that's got a plant, the mayor of that city, they were all licking their chops for this one.” Oshawa won the battle to become the home of the new Camaro, which will start rolling off the assembly line in 2008.

"The groundwork for the future has been set," said Arturo Elias, President of General Motors of Canada. GM will be investing $740 million into the Oshawa facility, transforming the Oshawa operation into a flexible manufacturing facility that can quickly switch production between different types of cars depending on the customer demand.

“It’s great news for Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area, and a positive message to other investors that the GTA continues to offer an attractive business environment and is positioned as a leader in North America for productivity and efficiency,” stated Karen Campbell, President & CEO, Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance, in responding to the announcement. Toronto Star Article

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New Burlington UPS 'Campus' One of Five in North America

For $80 million you don't call it a warehouse.  At that price it's a "logistics campus" operated by a provider of "supply chain solutions" rather than a courier company. That's how UPS Supply Chain Solutions, a unit of UPS Canada, sees the world from its massive new centre in Burlington, the largest such facility in Canada.

Covering more than 800,000 square feet, the new buildings on Mainway Road will handle everything from office chairs and T-shirts for consumers to replacement skin and morphine for hospitals and doctors around the world.

For Marvin Rosenzweig, the company's vice-president of business development, it's all part of a sweeping economic chain in which a company that started out delivering small packages now earns more than $42 billion in revenue by helping customers manage the flow of raw materials into their plants and finished products out.

Walk through the front doors of Seneca College’s new Markham Campus and you’ll think you’re in a modern business environment. The granite floors, the floor-to-ceiling windows and the gurgling fountains all give the Campus a corporate atmosphere. “This Campus reflects the fact that we educate people for careers in the business world,” says Dr. Rick Miner, President of Seneca College.

An advisory board with members from the business community and local professional ensure that the programs are relevant to career opportunities, and provide real-world input into the value and direction of the courses. Seneca’s School of Marketing and e-Business has added the Business Intelligence and Brand Management programs in responding to the growing areas of interest in the marketing and business communities. The Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance working with its private sector partners was pleased to play an integral part in the creation of the Business Intelligence Unit at Seneca.

“With the addition of the Business Intelligence and Brand Management programs, we now have programs that provide graduates with a breadth of knowledge that prepares them for the workplace,” says Angela Zigras, Chair of the School of Marketing and e-Business.

The Business Intelligence Unit will examine data to help organizations make better business decisions, deliver value to customers and gain an advantage over competitors.

To learn more about Seneca’s new Markham Campus and the Business Intelligence Unit, click Full Article.

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“The close proximity to both Pearson International Airport and Buttonville Airport is essential to our company’s international operations,” was one of several reasons given by Donald Carswell, President, Optech for recently locating its operations in the City of Vaughan. With over 200 employees, Optech's recent investment occupies a 60,000 square-foot office that includes a daycare facility.

Early plans for the global event could leave a culture legacy that includes a World Museum of Aboriginal Art, an Imagination Centre for Creative Cities, a permanent Waterfront home for Humanities, a new initiative that tells the Toronto story, dozens of new public artworks, a new body of Canadian plays, concerts, visual art and dance work.

Toronto’s World Expo will take place over a six-month period, but its impact on culture will be felt years before and long after the event.

Mayor David Miller emphasized the importance of culture to the Toronto’s Expo bid. “One of our city’s greatest strengths as a candidate for Expo 2015 is our capacity to create and offer world-class cultural activities,” he said. “Expo will be a unique opportunity to showcase Canadian talent to the world.”

To read the full text, as well as, the Legacy of Expo ’67 click on Toronto 2015.

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Join the Race…your High Tech Export Oriented Company may be Moving up in Style – Competition Deadline is September 22. The Town of Markham, Jim Brown of Colliers International, GWL Realty Advisors, FIT by Design, and the Innovation Synergy Centre in Markham have come together to create and announce the launch of the first annual Markham Space Race – a unique contest open to up-and-coming technology and export oriented companies across Ontario.

Demonstrate how your business plans to position itself for rapid growth, and you could win a fully-furnished, 1,000-square-foot Class A office space for a year in Canada’s high-tech capital, the Town of Markham.

For competition rules, application and WINNING PRIZES, click on MARKHAM SPACE RACE.

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It’s been an outstanding year for economic development in the Town. By the third quarter, 1.7 million square feet of industrial-commercial-institutional (ICI) development had been secured, passing yearly totals for both 2004 and 2005.

“Developers are recognizing the tremendous opportunity for investing their businesses in Milton,” said Town of Milton Mayor Gordon Krantz. “Milton is an ideal location, with proximity to major highways and airports, and access to the St. Lawrence Seaway through nearby harbours.”

Also this year, the non-residential to residential assessment ratio reached an enviable 70 to 30 per cent. This balance helps the Town maintain a relatively low tax rate for residents, while offering one of the lowest industrial/commercial tax rate in the GTA and providing a variety of employment opportunities for residents.

“Town staff work hard to help the local business community prosper,” said Mayor Krantz. “They assist developers with site selection, market research and support in establishing their business.”

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Toronto Hydro launched Canada's largest Wi-Fi zone on September 6 in the heart of the city's financial district, giving tourists, local businesses and downtown workers free wireless Internet access for the next six months.

"It's only a matter of time before this service is expanded city-wide," Mayor David Miller said at the launch.

Called "One Zone," the first phase of Toronto's municipal Wi-Fi network currently provides blanket coverage from Front St. north to Queen St. and from Church St. west to Spadina Avenue.

And it's going to get much larger.

Dave Dobbin, president of Toronto Hydro Telecom, which is deploying and operating the network, said the utility's plan is to stretch the network from the waterfront as far north as Steeles Avenue over the next three years. That would cover more than 700 square kilometers.

To read the full text of the article go to Tyler Hamilton – Toronto Star.

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Due to popularity and demand, Mintz & Partners, one of Canada’s leading accounting and advisory firms, is hosting the second annual Passport to China conference on Wednesday, October 11, at the Hilton Suites Toronto/Markham Conference Centre & Spa at 8500 Warden Avenue, Markham.

If you are considering expanding into China, this complimentary conference is a must.  Dim Sum breakfast to be served at 7:30 a.m. and the conference gets underway at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 11:30 a.m.

Seating is extremely limited! To avoid disappointment, please RSVP by Friday, September 29th to 416-391-3100, extension 7787 or rsvp@mintzca.com.

Conference panelists will discuss:

• Tax advantages for manufacturers.
• Why the urgency with China?
• Legal tips and traps.
• Accounting considerations and international networks.

 Special keynote guests from China are David Cho and Carl Poon of Moores Rowland Mazars, the Chinese affiliate of Mintz & Partners.

This conference will be of particular interest to Manufacturers (owner/managers, CEOs or presidents, CFOs or COOs, plant managers, directors of global operations).

For more information on Mintz & Partners LLP, please visit www.mintzca.com.

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Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Joe Cordiano, extends an invitation to the financial industry to help design a province-wide strategy to support further growth in financial services. Toronto Financial Services Alliance (TFSA), Executive Director, Janet Ecker, welcomed the Minister’s willingness to work with industry, academia and other stakeholders in developing a long-term strategy that looks at supporting growth and investment in this sector.

The Toronto Financial Services Alliance (TFSA) is a unique public/private initiative of individuals representing the financial services industry and its trade associations, all levels of government and academic institutions. Its mandate is to enhance and promote the competitiveness of Toronto as a premier North American financial services centre.

As a member of the TFSA, the GTMA looks forward to participating in this initiative and promoting the investment opportunities internationally.

To read more on this and other initiatives being undertaken by the TFSA, link to TFSA Updates.

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The Greater Toronto Area leads North America in offering a diverse, talented pool of Interactive Digital Media (iDM) workers, as well as collaboration between business and new media solutions providers. It’s with this background that The New Media Business Alliance (NMBA) and the Game Developers Association of Ontario (GDAO) announced an agreement that has seen Ontario's leading game companies join and take a leadership role in the NMBA.

Ontario’s leading game companies represent over 500 jobs in Ontario and will lead the NMBA Games Industry Committee in setting policy and programmers for the organization. "We are very pleased to welcome these leading game developers into our membership and are very excited to be able to work together with them to build the policies, programs and networks that will be crucial to our success in the years ahead," says Ian Kelso, President of NMBA.

The read the full text of the press release and upcoming initiatives, click on NMBA.

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Over the past two years, GTMA has worked closely with its counterpart in the Great Lakes Region building and nurturing a business relationship to help promote our respective regions. As a founding partner of the Greater Lakes Manufacturing Council, we’re pleased to announce that the Council has gone virtual, with the release www.greatlakesmanufacturingcouncil.org.

“Thanks to a tremendous effort by our friends, we now have a very functional and attractive website that will be an extremely useful tool and resource for all of us working on behalf of manufacturing in the Great Lakes region,” said Ed Wolking, Jr. Detroit Regional Chamber on behalf of the Great Lakes Manufacturing Council Secretariat.

The Great Lakes Manufacturing Council is a membership organization representing industry, non-governmental organizations, trade associations, organized labour educational and financial institutions, economic development groups, chambers of ecommerce, governments and others who are united to promote, enhance and preserve manufacturing in the Great Lakes Region.

To learn more about the GLMC or read the first edition of the new monthly GLMC newsletter FOCUS visit www.greatlakesmanufacturingcouncil.org. For information on the GTMA’s GTA Advanced Manufacturing Committee and related programs contact Gerald Pisarzowski at gpisarzowski@greatertoronto.org.

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Do you want to reach 15,000 top executives in 3,000 of the Toronto Region’s largest companies? Contact Toronto is the most up-to-date, accurate and detailed local directory of top employers available for Toronto. It identifies employers in the Toronto Region with 100 or more employees covering all types of organizations – public and private companies, government, Crown corporations, colleges and universities, hospitals and social services, religious organizations and associations. With over 15,000 key decision makers in ten top management positions (president, chief executive officer, finance, operations, human resources, purchasing, information technology, sales, marketing and communications), Contact Toronto is an incredible source for generating leads.

Toronto Board of Trade Member Price: $89.00 (Regular: $99.00).  For further information, contact Allyson Gelley, Information Officer, Toronto Board of Trade at 416-862-4544.

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People News:

Bulletin Board

Robin Garrett, former Assistant Deputy Minister with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) has been appointed President & Chief Executive Officer, Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation effective August 21. At MEDT, Robin helped market Ontario to the world and expand Ontario’s international presence by opening four new international marketing offices for Ontario in Tokyo, London, New Delhi and Los Angeles. In the past year, the GTMA has collaborated with Robin and her staff on a number of initiatives. On behalf of the GTMA, we extend our best wishes to Robin as she undertakes her new responsibilities in marketing Ontario as a travel destination. To read the full announcement, link to Ministry of Tourism.

Fareed Amin, former Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Citizenship and Immigration, and most recently, Deputy City Manager at the City of Toronto has been appointed Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, and the newly formed Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

For the past nine years, Ted Northcott served as the Senior Business Development Officer at the Town of Markham. He has recently returned to the Provincial Government as the Regional Advisor, Central Region, Entrepreneurship Partnerships with the Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. We congratulate Ted in his new position and look forward to opportunities to working together in the future.

Mayor Ann Mulvale and Chairman Roger Anderson’s contributions were recently recognized by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario at their annual conference in Ottawa. Incoming President, Doug Reycraft, acknowledged contribution of his predecessors and the benefits for municipalities as a result. “From time to time, it's important to take stock of what we have accomplished together. Tremendous credit for the Association's success belongs with municipal leaders like Roger and Ann," said Reycraft.

With more than 18 years of service with Bell Canada as Director of New Business Opportunities Site Selection Services Deborah Clark-Forster will be assuming the position of Senior Business Consultant with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade promoting investment in the contact centres, business process outsourcers and shared services sectors.

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Upcoming Events:

Reaching the Third Stage of Market Success: Positioning Your Company for Exponential Growth – September 18

MaRS Events Series addresses the varied needs of researches, entrepreneurs and investors; the MaRS Venture Group organizes specialized events aimed at encouraging collaborative education and networking.

On September 18th, MaRS presents “Reaching the Third Stage of Market Success: Positioning Your Company for Exponential Growth” with Guest Speaker Mike Pascoe, President & CEO (Meriton Networks - Ottawa). This event is exclusive to CEO's/Founders of ICT Businesses & VC and Angel Investors and NOT open to other individuals or service providers. All registrations will be confirmed prior to the event.

For more information on MaRS events and services, visit www.marsdd.com.

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Invitation to the GTA Call Centre Committee Speaker Series

The GTA Call Centre Committee will be hosting a networking forum on Wednesday, September 20th at 8:00 a.m. at the Ontario Investment Service, 161 Bay Street, Canada Trust Tower, Suite 4040.

SPEAKERS:

Elizabeth Winter (CPA), President, Contact Professionals Alliance, will be speaking on "Absenteeism in the Workplace"

Lilly Krstic, Subject Matter Expert with TELUS, will be speaking on "Contingency planning for  Call Centre's"

For further information, please contact  Sangeeta Bhatnagar at 416-596-3434, ext. 234 or   sbhatnagar@spherion.ca.

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