Research and Innovation : Innovation + Job News

A report issued last week by the Ontario Media Development Corporation shows that 2009 was an excellent year for the film and television industry across the province.

The agency of the provincial government reported (pdf) that film and TV production province-wide was up 41 per cent from 2008, and injected $964.4 million into the local economy. This was the highest level of production activity in the province recorded since 2002 -- and it occurred during a global recession in a year that saw the Canadian dollar hover at par with the US dollar (therefore removing a traditional advantage to shooting here).

While a spokesperson for the OMDC was unable to estimate how many jobs were created as a result of production spending, approximately 24,000 people work in the industry in the GTA alone.

In a news release, Ontario Minister of Tourism and Culture Michael Chan said, "This tremendous show of strength from Ontario's film and television industry helps demonstrate the enormous competitive advantage that cultural industries give us in the global economy. These industries have a significant impact on Ontario's economy and continue to show impressive upside potential."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: OMDC

Innovators and idea people with good strategies or techniques for building a better, greener city have a unique opportunity to reach influential industry players by presenting a seminar at IIDEX/NeoCon's Green Building Festival and Light Canada. The organization that runs the country's largest design and architecture conference has issued a call for presentations.

The Green Building Festival, now in its fifth year, is the largest exposition on sustainable building, and according to the IIDEX website, the emphasis is on "cutting-edge innovation, technical detail and measurable results."

The call for presentations reads, "If you have an interesting presentation or an idea that could be developed into an educational session, you are invited to submit an on-line proposal. Conference speakers gain visibility in the industry, as well as contribute to the advancement of the profession." Anyone with an innovative green building concept or business looking to gain widespread exposure can read the details and apply here. A review of last year's show, for those looking to get a sense of what it's all about and whether their presentation would be a good fit, is here.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: IIDEX/NeoCon

This week at the York Woods Library Theatre, the Black Creek Community Micro-Credit Program officially declared itself open for lending. The program in the at-risk community of Jane-Finch aims to provide small loans of up to $5,000 to entrepreneurs with solid business plans who would not otherwise qualify for conventional bank loans.

According to Dr. Barry Rieder, the program's chair, the fund hopes to provide as many as 20 loans to small businesses in its first year of operation. The project, with the support of the Access Community Capital Fund (recent recipients of a Trillium Foundation grant to support micro-credit programs) and the Alterna Savings credit union, provides what Rieder characterizes as "character references" and loan guarantees to successful loan applicants. The projects the program funds will create jobs and stimulate the economy in the local community.

The program is a project of the 10-year-old Black Creek Community Capacity Building Group, an organization set up to build the both the strength and reputation of the Black Creek Community around Jane-Finch, one of the City of Toronto's priority neighbourhoods.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Dr. Barry Rieder, Chair, Black Creek Community Micro-Credit Program

Four Toronto community groups and the people they serve hit the jackpot last week when the Ontario government's Trillium Foundation -- which is financed through proceeds of lotteries -- awarded them funding totaling $729,900 for some of their job creation projects. The grants, made through the foundation's Future Fund, were awarded to support projects that build skills development and create new employment opportunities through social or community development enterprises.

"These grants are a vote of confidence in communities and local residents. They recognize that often-marginalized people and places are in fact remarkably resilient and enterprising," Trillium Foundation Chair Helen Burstyn said in a release announcing the grants.

The Access Community Capital Fund received $125,500 over the next three years to fund community micro-credit projects such as the one it was involved in launching in the Jane-Finch Community this week. Social Investment Organization got $90,000 to spend the next year and a half investigating ways to set up a fund for social enterprises. Woodgreen Community Services netted $484,400 to set up a supportive housing and job-readiness program for single women over the next three years. And Artscape will get $30,000 this year study setting up a creative sector business incubator.

The grants to Toronto organizations were among province-wide Future Fund grants totaling $2 million.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Ontario Trillium Fund

Toronto has double the "average concentration" of artists as the rest of Canada, making us the largest magnet for artists and cultural workers in the country, according to a recent study by Hill Strategies Research. The study, called "Mapping Artists and Cultural Workers in Canada's Largest Cities," (pdf), showed that Toronto is home to 82,600 artists and cultural workers who make up almost 6% of the workforce. It may not surprise many locals in this city of "highest these" and "first those" to learn that this is higher than the number in any other city in Canada.

Vancouver and Monteal can claim bragging rights too, however, for beating Toronto in the number of cultural workers as a percentage of the total labour force.

The study shows the migration of cultural workers within the city between 2001 and 2006 census periods, too. Parkdale, now the most artistically populous of the city's neighbourhoods, had been sixth just five years before, while the north Annex fell from the top spot for artists to fourth in the same period. Meanwhile the east-end stroller-and-small-dog hubs of Riverdale, the Danforth and the Beaches are home to the greatest local concentrations of cultural workers.

The study was funded by the cities of Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary and Ottawa.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Hill Strategies Research, City of Toronto

If the lights on the CN Tower seem to have a particularly west-coast vibe over the next few weeks, it may be because they're being remotely controlled by the minds of people half a continent away in Vancouver. That's not a typo: during the Vancouver Winter Olympics, visitors to Ontario House are remotely controlling lighting displays on the CN Tower, the Parliament Buildings and Niagra Falls using an innovative Toronto-made mind-computer interface.

It is, according the MaRS blog, the largest thought-controlled computer interface experiment in human history, run by a local start-up called InteraXon. Visitors sit in a seat in Vancouver and learn how to use their minds to interact with a computer, then test out their powers on the Ontario landmarks. Cameras transmit the results to the west coast -- and to the InteraXon website -- in real time so participants can see the results of their computer-enhanced telekinesis.

The technology was first unveiled last year at the Premier's Innovation Awards, where Premier Dalton McGuinty was given the opportunity to demonstrate the process. Following that event, the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation approached the company about creating the display for the Vancouver Olympics, called Bright Ideas.

MaRS has been working with the company to develop and market it's products. According to the MaRS website, building lights are just the tip of the mind-controlled iceberg. "InteraXon creates all kinds of experiences in thought-controlled computing and is one of the only companies in Canada to do so. From pouring a virtual can of cola to controlling an orchestra of instruments, InteraXon's experiences are at the forefront of technology, science and art."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: MaRS

Unlike many pressing social issues that seem to require big -- and ongoing -- charity or government funding, environmental sustainability has famously appeared to be a goal that is also financially sustainable. From the province's feed-in tariff program for solar power to the construction jobs created by energy retrofits to the whole financial market that emerges wherever cap-and-trade programs are implemented, there are dollars available for businesses that focus on going green.

To encourage entrepreneurs with big ideas, the Toronto Community Foundation has raised money from donors and partnered with the city of Toronto to endow the Green Innovation Awards, which offer $50,000 in seed money to "advance the development of new and innovative solutions to address our environmental challenges."

Toronto Community Foundation President and CEO Rahul Bhardwaj says the awards emerged from the group's Vital Signs report -- and the financial commitment of TCF fundholders represents their support for entrepreneurilaism. "When you have a look at the Vital Signs report ... you see a nice trajectory over time. But it's important to not rest on our laurels -- it's time to really put our shoulder behind moving towards a greener city." Bhardwaj says it was relatively easy to get financial support from donors to build innovative projects that will be self-sustaining financially while making the city sustainable.

Anyone with an idea for a new technology, product or service to make "Toronto a greener and more livable" city and a plan to make it happen is encouraged to apply for the grant by the March 12 deadline. The panel will decide whether the prize money will go to one project or be divided between multiple projects, Bhardwaj says. Entrants will be able to present their funding request to a panel of judges. Award recipients will be announced at the Green Toronto Awards at the Green Living Show in late April.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Rahul Bhardwaj, President and CEO, Toronto Community Foundation; Live Green Toronto

Fifteen years ago, Toronto engineers Phil White and Gerard Vroomen of vroomen.white.design began designing and manufacturing racing bicycles under the brand name Cervelo. Today, still owned by White and Vroomen, North York-based Cervelo is the world's largest manufacturer of time trial and triathalon bikes, with Tour de France and Iron Man trialthalon victories and Olympic gold medals won on its bicycles.

Last week, Vroomen and White were honoured at the Canadian Innovation Awards as Canadian Manufacturer of the Year in recognition of their world-leading technology and innovative leadership.

According to the company, Cervelo was founded in a pure quest for innovations that would lead to racing excellence. "We wanted something that was unbeatable in aerodynamics yet sacrificed nothing in weight or stiffness, and unfettered by issues of marketability," reads a company history on its website. Today, with eight engineers in its employ and selling more than 10,000 units per year, the same spirit is visible in their philosophy. "We apologize in advance if our ads look like they were written by engineers," they write. "We figured you would rather read an ad designed by an engineer than ride a bike designed by the marketing department."

Currently most of Cervelo's manufacturing takes place in Asia, but recently White told the Toronto Star that they intend to begin manufacturing bikes at their North York facility within the next two years.

Four other Ontario companies were honoured at the Canadian Innovation Awards, including Scarborough Tim Hortons franchisee Megleen Inc, who won the Canadian Innovation Award for Innovator of the Year.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, Cevelo, Toronto Star

A new study [pdf] for the Toronto Region Research Alliance from the Munk Centre at U of T says that Golden Horseshoe manufacturers need more research and development support from academia.

While noting that Southern Ontario manufacturers often enjoy a competitive advantage globally because of infrastructure and proximity to the U.S. market, the study's consultation of 76 industry players concluded that "Similar regions in Japan and Germany were consistently mentioned as being more advanced in research ... and, if Ontario is to compete on quality, this is an area that needs to be addressed."

The study goes on to suggest that deeper contacts need to be developed between universities and manufacturers. According to Ruth Lewkowicz, a spokesperson for the Toronto Region Research Alliance, they have formed a partnership with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters and "are now exploring how the two organizations can partner to further engage the Southern Ontario manufacturing sector to address some of the issues raised."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Ruth Lewkowicz, Director of Marketing and Communications, Toronto Region Research Alliance

City Patron, a new non-profit organization in Toronto, seeks to introduce an innovative element to the work of independent activists by adding an ingredient so often lacking from their lives: money.

The prime example -- and City Patron test case -- is Dave Meslin, an activist who founded the Toronto Public Space Committee, the Toronto Cyclists Union, Dandyhorse magazine, City Idol and helped set up Spacing magazine and most recently, the Better Ballots Initiative, among other endeavors. Meslin, or "Mez," as he's known, has helped influence the city's political life for the past 10 years through his initiatives. Yet, perhaps unsurprisingly, he often has difficulty making ends meet.

City Patron argues that we need people like Meslin, and that we lack a way to fund their work. "Just as engines need spark plugs, cities need people who can turn good ideas into action.The private sector knows this. The marketplace celebrates innovators and entrepreneurs who dream up the next big idea for a product or a company. But in the civic arena, it's a different story," the org's website declares.

So City Patron is asking people to chip in. By committing to pay $20 or $30 per month (or any other voluntary amount), large groups of people will provide innovative social activists with a salary of $30,000-$40,000 per year. In exchange for their micropatronage, donors will receive monthly updates on the activist's work. As it launched earlier this month, Dave Meslin was the initial "City Builder" seeking funding, but more candidates will be announced on the site this month.

Peter MacLeod, the founder of the project (who works to "reinvent public consultation" in his day job at MASS LBP), says that in the first 10 days the project's website was live, $10,000 in donations were pledged, alongside multiple offers of partnerships from charitable organizations and hundreds of emails.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Peter MacLeod, founder, City Patron

There could be no greater testament to Toronto's pride in its status as a magnet for immigration than its motto: "Diversity Our Strength." The question is, are we using that diversity to our full advantage?

In a recent essay for The Mark, former Gordon Foundation President Patrick Johnson suggested the answer is no. Noting that 46 per cent of the city's population was born abroad -- and that the diversity of countries in which those immigrants originate is world-leading -- Johnson concluded we're not capitalizing on this great source of strength. "There is scant evidence that key decision makers � whether in government, the corporate sector or NGOs � are attempting to take advantage of that advantage," he writes.

And a recent survey of the Toronto Region by the Progress Career Planning Institute seemed to underscore that conclusion, noting in particular that small businesses are less likely than large ones to recognize the value of newcomers to building a global brand. But a new initiative by the non-profit Information and Communications Technology Council, funded by the federal government, could help to close the gap between the potential and actual value of immigrants to Toronto (and of our city to them).

The Canada Readiness Tool is an online assessment for newcomers and potential newcomers that will help them learn about the culture-specific skills needed to succeed in Canada. According to the ICTC, the key is in the "three C's": Culture, Communication and Competencies.

In a press release announcing the initiative, Minister of Human Resources Diane Finley said it would "facilitate the integration of newcomers into the work force so that they can put their skills to work sooner, helping to strengthen the labour market and improve the standard of living of all Canadians. Attracting and retaining the best international talent to address existing and future labour market challenges is critical to Canada's long-term economic success."

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: The Mark, Progress Career Planning Institute, Information and Communications Technology Council

For as long as anyone can remember, provincial politicians have made the case that what's needed is more -- or smarter -- investment from Ottawa. Starting this week, Premier Dalton McGuinty can expect firepower for his demands to Ottawa from a new University of Toronto think tank. His government provided $5 million in seed money to launch the new research centre, and he was to speak at its official launch Jan. 25.

The Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation, according to its website, "is an independent non-partisan think tank. Our research focuses on those federal policy frameworks and strategies that will most strongly affect Ontario's prosperity and quality of life in the next century."

The centre's materials emphasize collaboration with private and non-profit sector partners as an important governance tool, and seem -- like so many provincial and municipal politicians -- to begin with the assumption that current federal policy is broken, an outdated, jerry-rigged relic of a bygone era. "Many of the key elements of Canada's social contract and institutional infrastructure have broken down," Mowat Centre director Matthew Mendelsohn writes in his Director's Message introducing the think tank. "In some cases our public policies are based on assumptions that are no longer valid; in others, the assumptions are valid but the programs that gave them life have been tinkered with so much that they no longer achieve their intended purpose."

The centre's first major project will be to form a commission to modernize support for the unemployed, scheduled to launch in February 2010.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Mowat Centre for Policy Innovation

In its survey of "City Magnets" reported here last week, the Conference Board of Canada used the number of residents with graduate degrees as a measure of an area's innovative power. But the Ontario Science Centre's Weston Youth Innovation Award seeks to recognize innovation by those with a lower level of credentials: high school students.

Last year's inaugural winner, for example, was Eden Full, a grade 12 student who developed a process of Dynamic Photovoltaics. Any whiz kids hoping to follow in her footsteps should hop to it, as the deadline for entries for this year's awards in January 31.

The awards seek to recognize those aged 14-18 who have used science or technology to create real-world solutions to problems and have put their ideas into action. After all submissions are in, an in-house judging committee will create a shortlist of candidates. A winner will then be chosen by a final review panel using a criteria measuring initiative, innovation, successful implementation and demonstration of various skills.

The winner receives $2,000 cash, an exhibit of their project at the Science Centre and a membership to the OSC, which allows admission to science museums around the world.

Last minute entrants can find all the information and forms required here.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Source: Ontario Science Centre

When it passed the Ontario Green Energy Act, the provincial government not only made a bold, perhaps world-leading commitment to sustainable energy, it also created huge opportunities to make money. By guaranteeing to buy electricity for above-market prices from those who create green sources of energy (solar, wind, etc.), the government essentially created a subsidized, guaranteed profit stream for anyone with the ingenuity and finances to get in the game.

At the time of the announcement, Premier McGuinty's team estimated the act would create 50,000+ "green collar jobs." And just last week, in a move decried by some right-wingers and some left-wingers, Korean company Samsung led the way with a $10 billion project that is expected to create 16,000 new jobs and to become the largest wind-and-solar power-generating cluster in the world.

So: how does an entrepreneur get in on this? MaRS is hosting a forum on Jan. 29 for the finance sector on investment opportunities presented by the Green Energy Act. The price tag for the event is $200, and the forum is intended primarily for financial institutions who will be putting cash into projects under the act and the "sector players who will require that finance."

More information and registration at MaRS. Homeowners of more modest means may still want to look into how they can (more modestly) invest, such as local solar panel buying groups.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: MaRS, greenenergyact.ca, Financial Post, Canada Newswire, Northumberland Today

When you think of the GTA as a hotbed of innovation and a magnet for newcomers looking to relocate, the Town of Richmond Hill may not be the first locale that springs to mind. But according to a study of 50 cities conducted by the Conference Board of Canada, the suburban municipality just north of Toronto is among Canada's elite "City Magnets."

"It's not that Richmond Hill blows away everybody on all the indicators," says Mario Lefebvre, director the Conference Board's Centre for Municipal Studies, "but it offers a perfect mix of very well-balanced results across the field." Lefebvre notes that Richmond Hill was second in all of Canada in the "Innovation" category of the study, a result of its high proportion of well-educated citizens and of those employed in the sciences or in computer-related fields. It also did notably well in the "Education" category, partially a result of the high ratio of teachers to students in its school system.

Of course, for some people whose sense of Yonge Street is already oriented north of Steeles, the news was no surprise. "We have always known that Richmond Hill is a great place to live, play and work," said Mayor Dave Barrow in a statement by email. "But it's always nice when it's statistically proven and people outside the community recognize this as well."

The Conference Board of Canada is a non-profit public policy think tank. The report, entitled "City Magnets II: Benchmarking the Attractiveness of 50 Canadian Cities" graded municipalities for their performance in seven major categories thought to be attractive to migrants: Society, Health, Economy, Environment, Education, Innovation, and Housing. Alongside Richmond Hill, Calgary, Waterloo, Vancouver, St. John's and Ottawa also managed an overall "A" grade. Five GTA cities scored "B" grades on the survey (Markham, Vaughan, Oakville, Toronto and Burlington), with the region securing five of the 14 top spots.

Many might have expected the City of Toronto to score better, particularly since it attracts some 85,000 immigrants per year from outside the country, more than any other city in Canada -- surely a testament to its status as a "magnet." But Lefebvre notes that this is partially offset by the 25,000 people per year who migrate out of Toronto to other Canadian cities. "Some of those 25,000 were originally international migrants who decide to move on.... in this case Montreal and Toronto are not doing so well when it comes to inter-city and inter-provincial migration," he says.

Writer: Edward Keenan
Sources: Mario Lefebvre, Director, Centre for Municipal Studies, Conference Board of Canada
Office of Dave Barrow, Mayor, Town of Richmond Hill