Innovation + Job News

Established in 2001, Context Creative serves clients both near and far, delivering integrated design and communications campaigns on the Web, in email, TV, print, direct mail and outdoor.

The firm's clientele range from Ontario Government ministries to the private sector and not-for-profit organizations. Context Creative provides graphic design, copywriting, illustration and photography, project management and production services for corporate communications, advertising, brand design, and integrated campaigns.

Despite a shaky economy, Context Creative is growing: the last 12 months it added three full-time positions for a total of 12 employees. The firms says it is cautiously optimistic that Toronto's economy will continue to improve across many sectors and that demand for innovation, creative-thinking, and graphic design services will continue to rise.

To that end, Lionel Gadoury, the principal and director of creative services at Context Creative, says Toronto is a hotbed for graphic design talent and a city that's always open to new businesses and service offerings.

"Toronto is Canada's design hub," he said. "Most of the (graphic design) industry is based in Toronto and it's a huge advantage to other businesses located here."

In 1996, he said the Ontario Government passed recognition for Toronto-based RGDO to confer professional status on its members once they meet required qualifications and pass an examination. That's unique, as it puts the province and Toronto in particular at the forefront of continuing to develop a truly professional graphic design community, he remarked.

"More often these days we're called in to answer business challenges," Gadoury said. "Companies are either looking to break into new markets, lower their costs of communicating with their customers, and/or to gain market share.

"In many sectors of the economy where products and service have become highly commoditized, brand is the key differentiator."

Meanwhile, the company is breaking new ground by incorporating a not-for-profit foundation, New World Now Cultural Promotions Inc.

On January 6, the International Festival of Authors (IFOA),Canada's largest literary festival, announced it had received a $200,000 grantfrom the Ontario Trillium Foundation to expand its two-year-old IFOA Ontarioprogram, through which it organizes literary events in locations outside ofToronto. There will be at least a part-time project co-ordinator job created by the funding, with more staff to follow as it expands.

In 2009, there were 10 events featuring Canadian andinternational authors in seven locations run by the IFOA, which is part ofHarbourfront Centre. They were mostly north and west of Toronto, includingBarrie, Burlington, Midland and Parry Sound.

The money is meant for research and development, as well ashelping to set up infrastructure in locations around the province to facilitate literary events and take advantage of the authors who come to the internationally renowned Torontofestival from around thecountry and world.

According to IFOA director Geoffrey Taylor, new locationsbeing considered include Kingston, St Catharines, Sudbury and Thunder Bay.

"It's not about going to these places and showing them howwe do it in the big city," says Taylor, who's been with the IFOA for more thantwo decades. "It's about trying to create something so that they can do itthemselves."

Taylor estimates it cost between $80,000 to $90,000 in cashto run the program in 2009, in rough tandem with the Toronto events, though hestresses there was a good deal more spent by the festival and localcommunities, in staff time and goods in kind. By any calculation, though, a$200,000 injection is a major boon.

"IFOA can't really grow much," Taylor says of the festival'sToronto incarnation, which already maxes out its Harbourfront facilities andvenues, "but IFOA Ontario can be as large or larger than the festival."

"It's quite possible," he adds, "that in the future, we'llbe bringing authors in just for this program exclusively."

-- Bert Archer

On the heels of one of the worst years the North Americancar industry has ever seen, the National Research Council has announced apartnership with auto parts maker Magna International Inc., to develop what itdescribes as "lighter, more durable parts that are safer, affordable,environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient."

Magna Exteriors and Interiors, based in Concord, Ontario,will use a new $7.2-million research and development centre to work on newcomposite materials.

"Automotive suppliers and original equipment manufacturersthat lead the industry in innovation and productivity know that vehicles of thefuture will need more composite content in order to provide the fuel economy,utility and safety that consumers demand," says Bob Brownlee, president of the division. "TheMagna-NRC Composite Centre of Excellence will help reinforce Magna's positionas a supplier of lightweight, cost-effective composite solutions to the globalautomotive market."

According to Magna International co-chief executive DonWalker, lighter materials are necessary to reduce a car's energy requirementsand would allow smaller, more market-friendly batteries onboard electric cars.

Magna already has a contract to build the electric drivetrains of the all-electric 2011 Ford Focus.

Research was to begin immediately, and the new facilitieswill be up and running by the summer.

Writer: Bert Archer