In The News

'New wave' of Canadian fashion brands looking to build a worldwide presence

Financial Times Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Financial Times writes on the the international scope of Canadian fashion, as handful of Canada's most talented designer expand their brands south of the border and across the ocean. Joe Fresh, Artizia, Canada Goose and M0851 are among the top Canadian brands currently creating a vibrant international presence.

"Canada has many assets—commodities, natural resources, space, poutines—but most people would not count fashion among them. Indeed, despite the fact that it is in better economic shape than most developed western nations, Canada is rarely mentioned when brand discussions turn to potential growth markets."

"Yet this spring an 18,000-square-foot gauntlet is being thrown down on Fifth Avenue in New York courtesy of Joe Mimran, the Casablanca-born/Toronto-raised entrepreneur behind Joe Fresh, a low-priced men's and women's line of colourful separates and outerwear. It is just the beginning of what will turn into a tide of nearly a half dozen fashion brands from the north arriving or expanding south of the border before turning their sights across the ocean."

"Yes, the Canadians are coming. And no, it's not all lumberjack shirts and ice hockey jerseys. Their arrival marks a sense of maturity for retailers on both sides of the border. A decade ago, Canadian brands entering the US had a 20 per cent success rate, according to Wendy Evans, president of Toronto-based Evans & Company Retail Consultants. 'But today’s companies are far more confident and smarter at competing against American retailers,' she adds. With the American retail landscape stuck in a downturn—and Canadian companies armed with cash—the time is now right to put this knowledge to use."

"'Despite the current economic difficulties, American consumers remain hungry for something new,' says Mimran. 'With fewer new players entering the market it's actually easier to pierce consumer consciousness.' Especially when your currency is at record highs and US commercial real estate remains relatively inexpensive. Of course, with brands such as Club Monaco (which Mimran founded in 1985 and sold to Ralph Lauren in 1999) and Roots operating in the US for nearly two decades, Canadian fashion is hardly new to Americans. What is new, however, is the range of the current Canadian offering, its positioning and price."

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original source Financial Times

Toronto's aging bank towers go green

Toronto Star Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Toronto Star looks at the "greening" of Toronto's financial core. In addition to a surge in the construction of new sustainable office towers, many iconic Toronto buildings—from First Canadian Place to the TD Tower—are in the midst of massive "green" refurbishments.

"A number of Toronto’s landmark bank towers are now swaddled in scaffolding as they undergo a combined $300 to $400 million in refurbishments that include everything from updating their aged food courts to, in the case of First Canadian Place, replacing its almost 40-year-old marble façade."

"'The trophy towers are getting to that 30- and 40-year-old mark so they are hitting the gym again, so to speak, and getting into shape because they realize they aren't the only game in town anymore,' says John Peets, vice president of leasing for Oxford Properties."

"Oxford, the real estate arm of the OMERS pension fund, announced in October that it's teaming up with the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board to do what would have been unthinkable a decade ago. They're building a 30-storey office tower between Bay and York Sts. that will become the new domestic banking headquarters for the Royal Bank of Canada."

"Most of the renos are aimed at helping the financial towers, the first of which was built in the 1960s, achieve so-called LEED certification—an internationally recognized acknowledgement that the building is energy efficient and environmentally sound."

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original source Toronto Star

New report looks at Toronto's strengths in life-science sector

Toronto Region Research Alliance Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Toronto Region Research Alliance (TRRA)—a public-private partnership supported by the governments of Ontario and Canada—has released the second publication in its Regional Innovation Cluster series. This newest publication, which profiles Toronto's particular advantages in the life-sciences sector, provides invaluable information to Toronto researchers, policy-makers and entrepreneurs.

"Canada's pharmaceutical and medical device markets rank in the top ten globally, and are largely concentrated in the Toronto Region. Building on a tradition of medical innovations, the Life Sciences cluster in the Toronto Region is an integrated ecosystem of multinational and startup businesses, supporting services, reputable researchers and renowned research centres. This critical mass of industry, intellectual capital and significant R&D infrastructure forms a large Life Sciences footprint."

"The global share of Life Science publications from the Toronto Region has grown 25% over the past decade, with notable strength in the fields of oncology, neurology and medical imaging."

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original source TTRA

Rotman students hit Europe for an unexpected assignment

Globe & Mail Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Globe and Mail writes on the innovative ways Canadian business schools are incorporating international experience into their academic training. Toronto's Rotman school of Management, in particular, is lauded for its series of international trips that connect MBA students with senior executives from around the world.

"These trips offer a 'personal, professional and academic experience,' says Laura Wood, Rotman director of international programs and services."

"'When [students] come back from these experiences and go to an interview, they can speak knowledgeably and first-hand about an experience in Brazil or Hong Kong,' she says. 'It is taken seriously by the employer and that has driven a lot of [student] interest in the past couple of years.'"

"Five years ago, Rotman offered only semester-long exchanges with other universities, signing up about 20 students a year. Now the school sends out about 110 to 125 students annually—about half on study tours first introduced in 2007, and the rest on semester-long exchanges or specialty programs of shorter duration."

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original source Globe & Mail

YEAR IN REVIEW: Scoring high in everything from banking to sustainability

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Whatever it felt like on the ground for Torontonians, our city's star continued to shine brightly internationally in 2011. Surveying the international media, Toronto received rave reviews.

That was especially the case in rankings of global cities. We were never far from the top. Name the rating system—happiness, innovation, reputation, economic power, economic security, museums, entrepreneurship, sustainability, as a travel destination, liveability or well-being, Toronto usually scored high. In some areas, Toronto came out of nowhere. As the Grasshopper Group wrote in February: "Although not historically known as a nexus of entrepreneurship, Toronto has come onto the scene as a fast-moving startup city."

But spreadsheets weren't the only thing telling us we're doing just fine. Visiting reporters also found Toronto to have charms and attractions that can't necessarily be measured by cold, hard numbers. Our diversity and snow-free streets attracted attention, as did our vintage shops and movie locations, our life-sciences sector, the reinvented Roncesvalles village, TIFF, our 3D and game industries, our music scene, Luminato, the Distillery District (multiple times—a real travel-writer fave), our "creative force" and, of course, the CN Tower's newest thrill, the Edgewalk.

But if we had to pick the top two things that people were talking about when they talked about Toronto on 2011, it would have to be our banks and our love of towers. Not only did we avoid a real estate and banking crisis, we decided to keep moving onward and upward—especially upward—making us the North American city with the most tower construction currently in progress.

Canada 6th happiest country in the world: Study

Forbes Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Canada is the 6th happiest country in the world, according to the annual survey by international public policy firm the Legatum Institute. As reported by Forbes, Canada's earned it position in the top 10 not only because it's "the most prosperous nation in the Americas" but also because of its inviting atmosphere and reputation for tolerance.

"After studying 40 years of data and outcomes, [the Legatum Institute] settled on eight areas—the ingredients of prosperity: economy, entrepreneurship, governance, education, health, safety, personal freedom and social capital. Then they looked for reliable data from the likes of the Gallup polling organization that would let them rank countries on their performance in these areas. Add up the scores and you get the Legatum Prosperity Index."

See full list of happiest (and saddest) nations here

original source Forbes.com

Toronto's long-time chief planner talks about the past and future of city building

Torontoist Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The Torontoist writes on Gary Wright's final annual conversation as Toronto's chief planner. In a talk hosted by the Canadian Urban Institute, the Cities Centre at the University of Toronto and NRU Publishing, Wright shared his almost four decades worth of wisdom on the past, present and future of city-building in Toronto.

"Wright began working in planning in 1974, during a citizen-driven epoch of neighbourhood development. In response to the transition from surface transit to underground subway development along the Bloor-Danforth corridor, Bloor West business owners set up the city's first Business Improvement Area in 1970, and throughout the decade others would follow—an energetic, community-minded time for city planning in Toronto. The 1980s, marked by recession, would be different. Wright recalls one particular development, an office tower at the northeast corner of Queen and Yonge in the mid-1980s, as being particularly momentous. 'It's just a reminder: you look out here—and what are they talking about, like 119 cranes in downtown Toronto or something like that?—and we were absolutely delighted that there would be one crane.'"

"The 1990s and onward, with economic growth and the amalgamation of Toronto proper with its five adjoining boroughs, brought about dramatic changes to city planning. Suddenly, city planners were forced to cooperate with a number of different mindsets—'a much bigger city with much different interests.'"

"'Amalgamation helped us all learn,' Wright recalls. 'There's lessons learned from everywhere, doesn't matter whether it's in Scarborough or Etobicoke or North York. Now we find the commonality of those languages, the commonality of those structural changes that we work with all the time. So, we think differently.'"

"Looking forward, Wright sees citizen engagement and collaboration as essential for city building—the harnessing of social cohesion for momentum."

"'We live in a very interesting, complex, interactive society in which all different kinds of people and influences make us think about where we're going next,' he says, citing the necessity of fostering collaboration between developers, activists, businesses, politicians, media and philanthropists in order to foster positive, and effective, growth."

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original source Torontoist

The National Post reminds us our housing market is still on fire

National Post Wednesday, December 14, 2011

The National Post writes on the seemingly nonstop growth of Toronto's housing market. Despite predictions that the housing bubble might burst, Toronto house sales increased 11.1% from a year ago, maintaining Toronto's position as the largest housing market in Canada.

"The country's largest housing market continues to post double digit year over year price increases—likely meaning the national average will get a boost when the figure is released by the Canadian Real Estate Association on Dec. 15."

"The Toronto Real Estate Association says the average price of a detached home in the 416 district climbed past the $750,000 mark. Detached home prices rose 12% from a year ago to $776,017. It's a little cheaper in the suburbs with the average detached home in 905 selling for $540,299, a 10% jump from a year ago."

"'We have seen strong annual growth through the 2011 fall market. The increase in transactions has been broad-based, with strong growth across low-rise and high-rise home types throughout the Greater Toronto Area,' said Richard Silver, president of TREB."

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original source National Post

Toronto among 4 Canadian cities ranked as the best in North America

Globe & Mail Wednesday, December 07, 2011

Mercer, the international consulting firm that annually releases one of the world's most comprehensive quality-of-life reports, has published it 2011 findings.

Once again, Canadian cities (including Toronto) dominate the North American rankings. As reported by the Globe & Mail, four Canadian cities (Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa and Toronto) were the only North American cities to make the top 25. Vancouver tied for fifth spot, followed by Ottawa in 14th, Toronto in 15th and Montreal in 22nd.

"Canadian cities (Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal) hold the top spots in North America in quality of living and safety."

"Mercer looks annually at several measures, including the political and social climate, the economy, health and sanitation, education, public services, recreation and housing."

"Mercer says its survey is done to help multinationals and governments determine compensation for employees in foreign posts."

"(The consulting firm also says that 'in no event will Mercer be liable for any decision made or action taken in reliance of the results obtained through the use of, or the information and/or data contained in or provided by, the reports.' Presumably that means that if you get shot in Luxembourg, deemed the world's safest city, you'll look for someone else to blame.)"

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original source Globe & Mail

Canada's banks buck global trend, declares WSJ

Wall Street Journal Wednesday, December 07, 2011

The Wall Street Journal writes on how and why Canadian Banks have earned their international reputation as "the world's soundest." Toronto-Dominion (TD) is among the Canadian banks whose solid reputation has led to significant growth in the past five years: TD is the number two Bank in Canada and the number 10 bank in the US with more branches south of the border than north.

"Toronto-Dominion Bank and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce posted strong fourth-quarter profits Thursday on consumer and business loan growth, benefiting from the continued economic and employment growth in Canada that has kept the housing market strong and consumer confidence stable."

"The country's banks, which have minimal exposure to the debt-crippled peripheral European countries, have been ranked the world's soundest for four straight years by the World Economic Forum, enabling them to build through acquisitions abroad and aggressively compete for market share at home."

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original source Wall Street Journal

Huffington Post writer praises Toronto for its diversity, tolerance... and snow-free streets

Huffington Post Wednesday, December 07, 2011

The Huffington Post's Olga Bonfiglio writes about her recent winter trip to Toronto, describing the city as "as both a model and an inspiration for American cities." Bonfiglio was especially impressed with Toronto's ethnic diversity, its dedication to public health and its sense of community.

"The most significant impression I had of Toronto is that its people are so civilized. Imagine that people in the fifth-most populated city in North America actually praise themselves for their tolerance of ethnic and racial differences, which are evident everywhere you go."

"Imagine a place where over 100 languages are spoken and neighbourhood utility poles don signs advertising language classes in Spanish—as well as Persian, Urdu and Turkish. Street posters also declare that 'Literacy is a right.'"

"Environmental and public health concerns abound in Toronto. Imagine a small fish market with a sign that not only recognizes an endangered species (in this case Chilean sea bass) but informs customers that it will not sell that fish."

"The people of Toronto have obviously invested in their city, especially in their neighbourhoods, and they are willing to pay the price for the services through taxes or special assessments. For example, some neighborhoods ensure their safety through the protection of private police. The sidewalks and streets of every neighbourhood were all shoveled, free of snow to accommodate walking and bicycling."

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original source Huffington Post

USA Today tips its hat to Little Italy milliner

USA Today Wednesday, November 30, 2011

USA Today travel writer Alison Stein Wellner raves about Liliput Hats, Little Italy's iconic millinery boutique. Owned and operated by designer Karyn Gingras, the 17-year-old Toronto mainstay makes all stock on-site and sells in boutiques across Canada and the United Sates.

"[Karyn Gingras] shows me her collection of vintage hat blocks, or molds, which are used, with the help of steam and sometimes heat, to form the capeline into a certain shape. And then how that is finished, with hat band and wire and eventually embellishment, to become the hats that are sold around the store. We talk about how long it takes to make a hat (as fast as one day in a pinch), how the royal wedding this year created more interest in hats, which led to talk about fascinators, and then about hats as a form of individuality."

"'Clothing has become very mass produced, hats are a way of expressing yourself,' Karyn said. 'You don't replace a winter coat every year, but you do get new accessories.'"

"She stepped away to help a customer, and I wandered over to a display of fascinators, and tried on a modest one with a spray of black feathers and sequins. I turned my head this way and that. This would be very handy for me when travelling, I thought, building a mental case for dropping $70 Canadian on it, since I don't pack dressy clothes and often need to dress up a basic outfit with a scarf or whatnot...."

"Karyn returns and begins to select hats for me to try on. And then, as they're sitting a little awkwardly on my head, she stops and says, let's just settle this and get your head measured. She wraps my head tape measure. 'Okay,' she says, 'the average head is 22 1/2 inches and yours is 22 3/4s. That's not much!'"

"She had the hat band stretched on a couple of hats that seemed promising and eventually I walked out with a hat box, and my very own 1920s cloche: gray, and embellished with felt in other shades of gray. Which fit my giant head, and I daresay my personality, just right."

"If you're visiting Toronto, you can call ahead to reserve an hour with Karyn, who will go over the basics of millinery and hat style with you and help you pick out a hat. And tell you how your head size relates to average."

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original source USA Today

Toronto's high-rise boom, 'ubiquitous' cranes turning heads

Architectural Record Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Architectural Record writes on Toronto's seemingly nonstop downtown growth. While many North American cities remain in a growth slump, construction in Toronto's core continues to sore.

"In most North American cities, active construction cranes are a rare sight these days. But in downtown Toronto, they're ubiquitous, lifting up steel beams and glass panels for new towers in Canada's largest metropolis, where the population—currently at 2.5 million—is gaining 80,000 to 100,000 people per year."

"While the U.S. construction market remains in the doldrums, Toronto's real-estate sector has been humming along since the late 1990s, with only a brief slowdown in 2008. Today, the research service Emporis is tracking 147 high-rise buildings, among other projects, under construction in Toronto; the majority are residential and office buildings in the urban core, although towers are also popping up in the suburbs. In terms of design, most of these buildings won’t turn heads. But some developers are tapping top talent in hopes of creating architectural standouts."

"We're very excited about what's coming," says Alfredo Romano, head of Castlepoint Realty, one of the developers of 3C Lakeshore, a 2.4-million-square-foot district that Foster + Partners is master-planning for a former docklands. Romano says the 13-acre, mixed-use site will feature 'signature towers' by Foster, along with buildings by the local firms Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg and ArchitectsAlliance."

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original source Architectural Record

Thomson heirs make record $30M donation to CAMH

Toronto Star Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has received a $30-million donation, the largest-ever donation to mental health research. As reported by the Toronto Star, the landmark donation, which will be made over five years, comes courtesy of three heirs to the Thomson media fortune: Linda Campbell, Gaye Farncombe, and Susan Grange.

"The donation 'changes the landscape' of mental health and addiction research at CAMH, said president and CEO Dr. Catherine Zahn."

"'It's gratifying and it's breathtaking,' she said. 'It adds so much momentum to what we're trying to do. It's a bit overwhelming.'"

"The donors are Linda Campbell, Gaye Farncombe, Susan Grange and their families. The women are granddaughters of late Thomson Corp. magnate Roy Thomson. Their mother Audrey Campbell died in 2007 at 90."

"The Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute will attract leading scientists and expand research in brain circuitry, an important emerging area of study. It will also help fund specialized techniques in imaging, optogenetics and bioinformatics."

"The donation could help lead to improved diagnoses and more effective treatments of mood disorders, addictions, schizophrenia and cognitive impairment."

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original source Toronto Star

UofT researcher named Entrepreneur of the Year

680 News Wednesday, November 23, 2011

A 24-year-old University of Toronto researcher has been named Canada's top "Future Entrepreneurial Leader" (FuEL) by Profit magazine. Alexander Levy was awarded the top honour for MyVoice, an iPhone app that helps those who have communication problems due to stroke, autism or ALS.

"MyVoice allows users to find customizable phrases and words for every day situations. It also uses locational devices to detect where you are and finds relevant words—such as pulling up how you take your coffee if you are in a café."

"More than 9,000 people in 30 countries have downloaded a version of MyVoice, which has changed Levy's world."

"'The scale at which my voice would become used and its importance to so many people is something that all of us have been blown away by,' he said."

"Ian Portsmith, editor of Profit magazine, told 680News that Levy is not only changing lives but doing his part to help the Canadian economy."

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original source 680 News