Brampton : In The News

In a Q&A with the Wall Street Journal's Scene Asia blog, Brampton-born comedian Russell Peters talks about how diverse audiences make for better shows. Though he now lives in the US, he says being from Canada has helped his career... and his sense of humour.
 
"You were born to an Indian family in Canada and now live in the US. How does your cultural background affect your work?"
 
"Being an outsider always makes you better at being an insider. You can see exactly what’s going on, so when you get on the inside you know exactly what to do and what not to do. Canada’s one of those countries that is on the outside…we were kind of like the middle man between England and the US. We understand both of them so we know how to work it better."
 
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Original source: Wall Street Journal

According to the Montreal Gazette Southern Ontario's auto manufacturing industry, while it continues to face challenges, has bright future ahead. Ontario's relatively strong and competitive position in the industry can be attributed to its mix of products.

"The good news is Canada's auto industry -- primarily centred in southern Ontario -- is in "remarkably good shape relative to the product mix it has going into 2010 and beyond," said Pochiluk [president of AutomotiveCompass -- an automotive research and consulting firm]"

"Home to assembly plants for Chrysler Group LLC, Ford Motor Co., Toyota, Honda and General Motors, Ontario produces vehicles across key segments -- minivans in Windsor; mid-sized sedans in Brampton, Oshawa and Cambridge; crossover utility vehicles in Oakville, Ingersoll and Woodstock; compact cars in Alliston."

"Operating on three shifts, the Windsor assembly plant -- which builds Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans -- "is going to be fine" despite strong, new entries from Honda and Toyota next year, said Pochiluk."

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original source Montreal Gazette

As reported by the Toronto Star, the federal government recently committed $58 million to the development of clean-technology through the federal government's granting agency Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).  Brampton's SunOpta BioProcess Inc. (clean fuel developers) and Toronto's Morgan Solar (specializing in making solar power more efficient) are among the businesses benefiting from the grant.

"SDTC has completed 15 funding rounds since it was formed in 2002, putting $464 million into 183 projects and leveraging another $1 billion from the private sector. Vicky Sharpe, chief executive of SDTC, emphasized the importance of funding technologies that achieve both environmental and economic goals.

"Otherwise it won't last," said Sharpe, pointing to a Chinese delegation in the room that is interested in licensing SunOpta's cellulosic-ethanol technology. "I think there's a lot of opportunity to get some early exports in this area."

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original source Toronto Star