In The News

UofT's OpenNet Initiative featured in Financial Times

Financial Times Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Research from the University of Toronto's OpenNet Initiative forms the core of recent Financial Times feature on Internet censorship by governments.

The OpenNet Initiative--a collaborative partnership of the Citizen Lab at University of Toronto, the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, and the SecDev Group in Ottawa--tracks Internet censorship around the world. Directed and founded by University of Toronto's Ron Dibert, the OpenNet Initiative is a world leader on Internet censorship research.

"The OpenNet Initiative lists 18 countries in which it has found evidence of actual or suspected political censorship online, ranging from 'pervasive' in countries like China, Vietnam and Iran to 'substantial' (Libya, Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia) and 'selective' (Pakistan, Thailand and Azerbaijan.) More than 30 states filter for social reasons, blocking content related to things like sex, gambling and illegal drugs. Most Middle Eastern countries are identified as 'pervasive' social censors; China, Burma and Thailand are among the 'substantial.' The US, the UK and many European states apply it 'selectively.'"

"People will now see that there's a global battle going on over the future of the Internet," says Ron Deibert of the University of Toronto and a founder of the OpenNet Initiative, which tracks global censorship."

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original source Financial Times

Business Review Canada interviews Toronto-based entrepreneur Mike McDerment

Business Review Canada Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Business Review Canada recently interviewed Toronto-based entrepreneur Mike McDerment. McDerment is chief executive of the successful online bookkeeping service Freshbooks. He is also the co-founder of Toronto's annual Mesh Conference, the can't-miss-event for the city's online media and tech community. An excerpt from the interview:

"BRC: How's Freshbooks?"

"MM: Things are really good. We've continued to grow—like a weed. We're trying to hire a whole bunch of people and it's always hard to find the right people. We work really hard at that. We have our heads down trying to hire about ten people. We are only forty-some-odd people. Growth is good, which speaks to the pace of change and some of the things we're up to here."

"BRC: 5th anniversary of MESH… Did you envision it getting this big?"

"MM: No, absolutely not. We just wanted to do it for all the right reasons. When I say labour of love, I'm not kidding. We all have day jobs. We meet Wednesday nights throughout the year to pull it all together and send a whole heck of a lot of emails in between. The reason we all do it is the joy from five years ago, which is still alive. The story is… a bunch of guys get together and decide we should meet up and have a beer because we're all blogging in Toronto ,and it doesn't seem like anyone is getting together to talk about the stuff. We met, and two hours later we were gonna start a conference. Now, what can happen in a situation like that is absolutely nothing. Everyone goes home, sleeps on it, and nothing comes of it. In our case, a month later we had a website up. We were selling tickets a month later. Two months after that we sold out and were putting on the conference. It was a crazy ride, but we pulled it off. It's been rewarding. It's still very fun and exciting for us, the guys I organized MESH with. We finished off the conference this as excited and giddy as we were year one. To keep that going, it's not about the money, and if we were looking at this as a money thing there is no way we would have the love. Focusing on the stuff that matters keeps it alive. We are proud of what MESH has become and the role it is playing in the Toronto community."

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original source Business Review Canada

Toronto park makes Atlantic's list of world's best projects under overpasses

The Atlantic Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Toronto's Underpass Park--a 2.5-acre park now in construction under the city's Eastern Avenue, Richmond and Adelaide overpasses--has topped the The Atlantic magazine's list of the world's "9 Cool Projects Under Freeway Overpasses." When complete, Underpass Park will transform a derelict and neglected space into a bright, multi-use pedestrian thoroughfare.

"Elevated freeways slice through cities all over the world. At their best, they make getting into and around cities incredibly easy; at their worst, they segregate and isolate communities. Somewhere in between those two poles is a ton of potential. The spaces beneath those overpasses are often underutilized--or utilized in ways illegal or undesirable. Cities are beginning to take advantage of these dead spaces as usable parts of the public realm. These projects highlight some of the ways cities and communities are taking advantage of the space beneath freeways."

"The most notable development in this trend is Underpass Park, a new 2.5-acre public park now under construction in Toronto. The park re-uses the dead space beneath and around two freeway overpasses near the city’s downtown and right next to the Don River."

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original source The Atlantic

Toronto as centre of global finance?

Global Brief Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Global Brief writes on what is would take to transform Toronto into the world's "top centre for global finance," and why the city is already on its way. With a combination of strong political and business leadership and a focus on strong niche areas, Toronto could (the article argues) supplement New York and London as the world's global finance leader.

"Making Toronto a top centre for global finance involves leadership and strategy by the commercial sector, governments and the academy. It requires something that we may wish to call ‘Reverse Reaganism,’ whereby governments accept the role that they ought to play in shaping their own economy, rather than yielding the planning function to unfettered markets."

"…In conclusion, Toronto business and political leaders need to lead through rigorous focus on particular niche areas where Toronto already enjoys enormous strengths. Leadership in any of the foregoing sub-segments of the finance cluster – e-commerce, Islamic banking and resource-sector finance – could well propel Toronto’s financial destiny to the global leadership position to which it ought to aspire."

"Finally, Toronto business and political leaders ought to consider the establishment of a City Wealth Fund, similar to well-known sovereign wealth funds. Investors are private and public: they use their equity stake to participate in management, to keep the company in Toronto, and to create a Coke-Atlanta relationship for Toronto and the fund’s investors. The fund – totalling, say, half a billion dollars over five years – would be privately operated. The terms would be negotiated among the investors. The first deal could be done in the spring of 2011. Then deal-flow would follow, and the rest would be momentum through commercial success. The focus of the fund could be one or all of the three niche financial services areas discussed above. This idea is ambitious, but not absurd. Ten years, from now every city will have such a fund, but it will have started in Toronto."

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original source Global Brief

Canada has best reputation in the world, study finds

Epoch Times Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Canada has the best reputation in the world, according to a new study conducted by the Reputation Institute. The study, which polled 42,000 respondents worldwide, revealed that Canada is considered by the international community to be a safe, stable and welcoming country.

"Carried out by the Reputation Institute, an international research firm specialized in corporate reputation management, the study measured aspects such as trust, esteem, admiration and good feelings, to gauge the public perception of a country."

"Results from over 42,000 respondents worldwide showed that Canada scored well in all of these aspects."

"'The study shows that a strong country reputation requires a solid performance across three different areas: having an advanced economy, an appealing environment and an effective government,' Nicolas Georges Trad, executive partner of the Reputation Institute, said in a release."

"'When you consider that a 10 percent increase in your country’s reputation leads to an 11 percent rise in your tourism receipts, and a two percent increase in your HDI [Human Development Index] — this is something both countries and companies might want to take note of,' said Kasper Nielsen, executive partner of the Reputation Institute."

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original source Epoch Times

Skilled immigrants boost GTA companies� fortunes

Canadian Manufacturing Wednesday, September 28, 2011

GTA employers who hire skilled immigrants have an easier time expanding locally and globally, according to survey funded by the Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). As reported by Canadian Manufacturing, 93 percent of the polled GTA business with skilled immigrants on their workforce responded that hiring immigrants is beneficial for international expansion.

"The results of a recent survey in the Greater Toronto Area shows there are benefits to hiring skilled immigrants for manufacturers that do business abroad."

"Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC), which advocates better integration of skilled immigrants into the local labour market, engaged research company EKOS to ask 461 Toronto area companies, mostly small and medium enterprises from a range of sectors, about their employment practices."

"The results show 20 percent of employers hired skilled immigrants to help expand globally and locally. Of these respondents, 93 percent feel the skilled immigrants hired have been effective doing so globally and 83 percent locally."

"One in 10 have hired a skilled immigrant because they discovered that competitors were benefiting from hiring skilled immigrants. Of those employers, 81 percent feel those hired have been effective."

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original source Canadian Manufacturing

The New York Times on house hunting in Toronto

New York Times Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The New York Times writes on Toronto's "robust" real-estate market. The Toronto housing market--fuelled equally by long-standing Canadians and new immigrants--has, unlike many other major cities, managed to survive and grow despite the global economic downturn.

"Toronto's housing market is robust. 'People are investing here,' says Paul Dineen, a lawyer with the Toronto law firm Chapnick & Assoc. 'They see it's a good parking place.' The population is expected to increase by 1 million over the next 30 years, providing an ever-larger pool of prospective buyers. Mr. Dineen said that because the housing market hadn't been overpriced before the global downturn, Canada weathered the crisis when other countries had more difficulty. 'All it was here was a speed bump,' Mr. Robert said. 'The market took a deep breath for maybe four months, but then recorrected itself. We're just steaming ahead, moving forward.'"

"Buyers here include new immigrants, especially those from China, Hong Kong, India and Iran, as well as Canadians whose lineage goes back many generations. The city is attractive to many foreigners because it is considered safe, family friendly and multicultural."

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original source New York Times

The Huffington Post on TIFF & Toronto

Huffington Post Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Huffington Post writes on why TIFF is "the best film festival in the world" and why "lively" Toronto is the perfect host city. Toronto is lauded for, among other things, its cultural diversity, fine dining and exciting tourist attractions.

"Anyone connected to the film industry will tell you that the Toronto International Film Festival is the best film festival in the world. What they fail to mention is that it's also the perfect attraction for a lively vacation."

"TIFF leads the pack for three key reasons. First, selection: Their programmers present the world's best films. Second, timing: Distribution companies release Oscar-caliber films in the fall for awards consideration. Third, location: The 36-year-old, public-friendly festival infuses the entire multicultural city with verve for 10 exciting days every September. If you love urban meccas, lively tourist sites, fine dining and top-notch movies, too, TIFF gives you a good reason to visit Toronto."

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original source Huffington Post

Toronto among the 25 most economically powerful cities in the world

The Atlantic Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Toronto is the 16th most economically powerful city in the world according to a new report released by The Atlantic magazine. The report—which ranks 25 cities worldwide—assesses cities based on their economic, financial and innovative power.

"Cities and their surrounding metro regions are the real economic engines of our time. Bringing together talented, ambitious people and the assets they need to succeed, cities propel the innovation and enterprise that spur long-term prosperity. Economists increasingly argue that clustering, concentration and density stand alongside land, labour and capital as key features that shape economic growth."

"American cities account for nearly 90 percent of total U.S. economic output, and 85 percent of U.S. jobs. As Harvard's Michael Porter recently told the Clinton Global Initiative: 'There is no one U.S. economy but a collection of local economies.' Across the globe, metros with populations over one million account for more than half of the world's economic output and nine of every ten innovations, while housing roughly one out of every five people."

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original source The Atlantic

TIFF wraps up to rave reviews

The Washington Post Wednesday, September 21, 2011

After 11 days and 260 film screenings, TIFF 2011 has officially come to close. The Washington Post praises TIFF programmers for the exciting variety of movies on offer, describing the fest as a "balanced, healthy cinematic ecosystem."

"What's more, with some of the festival's smallest independent productions having been acquired by studios in recent days, audiences can be assured that, even as multibillion-dollar spectacles and comic-book franchises threaten to gobble up the smaller fry, a diverse, harmonious cinematic habitat still has a chance of surviving."

"So, at this year's TIFF, audiences could rousingly applaud the funny, touching mainstream comedy The Descendants—the festival's first bona fide home run, featuring a by-turns hilarious and heartbreaking performance by Clooney—then a few days later see Shame, Steve McQueen's stark, disquietingly graphic portrait of a man grappling with sex addiction."

"But even though the market heated up somewhat, the heart and soul of TIFF beat on the streets of downtown Toronto, where thousands of cinetourists make their annual pilgrimage, seeing up to four or even five movies a day, emerging only to cadge a hurried meal before plunging again into the dark. This is a world blithely oblivious to wheeling and dealing that occur in such elegant precincts as the Fairmont Royal York or InterContinental hotels, where the swells congregated this year. Instead, festival-goers—who could be heard coining the term "TIFF-ing" for their cine-obsessed pastime—shuttle from queue to queue, comparing notes with their fellow enthusiasts over well-thumbed programs, circling and crossing out titles with the ruthlessness of seasoned racetrack sharpies."

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original source Washington Post

BlogTO on the 2011 Queen West Art Crawl

BlogTO Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Blog TO hosts pictures of the eclectic art on display at this year's annual Queen West Art Crawl (QWAC). In addition to more than 250 artists booths, the 2011 QWAC featured food vendors, live performances and artist talks.

check out pics of the event here
original source Blog TO

Toronto scores a top-10 spot in newest Green City Index

buzzbuzzhome.com Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Toronto is the ninth greenest city in North America and the second greenest city in Canada (behind Vancouver), according to the newly released North American Green City Index. Conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (and sponsored by Siemens), the study ranked 27 North American cities based on categories including CO2 emissions, green energy and environmental governance.

"Toronto's strongest category was waste, where it ranked fourth in North America while it also ranked in the top half of the index in the CO2, energy, buildings, water and air categories."

"Meanwhile, Toronto wasn't looking so good in the transportation category (surprise, surprise). The T-dot had the longest commute time of all 27 cities in the index with plenty of traffic congestion and sprawl within its borders. The study also noted that, while Toronto has a good ratio of public transit vehicles to total area, it lacks large, centrally located pedestrian-only zones."

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original source buzzbuzzhome.com

Toronto leads the drive into 3D

Variety Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Variety.com writes on Toronto's growth into an international hub of "stereoscopic 3D activity and expertise." Through a combination of tax incentives, government grants and local entrepreneurial spirit, Toronto's 3D industry has exploded in the past five years.

"From filmmaking to cutting-edge research, Ontario is emerging as an international hub of stereoscopic 3D activity and expertise, with Toronto its focal point."

"'The advantage of being based here is we have equipment houses, studios, trained crews and a range of post labs with 3D expertise,' says S3D producer-director James Stewart of Toronto's Geneva Film Co., which has produced and directed dozens of commercials, concert pics, docs and remastered Cave of Forgotten Dreams."

"Ontario tax incentives, expanded a couple of years ago, are a critical factor for biz flow, especially now that voters in British Columbia have chosen to phase out one of the tax breaks offered to foreign producers."

"'We now provide greater support through post, visual effects and for 3D,' says Ontario Media Development Corp. manager of film Donna Zuchlinski."

"From S3D-specialized companies such as Bill White's equipment-developing 3D Camera Co., production shingle Stereo3D Unlimited, which includes co-founder Tim Dashwood's R&D sister division, and Diane Woods' boutique shop 3reedom Digital to Dennis Berardi's booming visual effects company Mr. X (The Three Musketeers 3D) to progressive post houses like Deluxe and Creative Post, Ontario players are increasingly in international demand."

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original source Variety.com

LA Times: What to do in Toronto when not at a movie screening

LA Times Wednesday, September 14, 2011

With TIFF back for its 36th year, the LA Times writes on the best Toronto hotspots "to eat, drink and be seen." Toronto's high-end hotels, world-renowned restaurants and array of premium coffee shops are among the many Toronto highlights the Times recommends to its readers.

"Toronto tends to be blasé about its stars—Rachel McAdams' regular vintage-shopping jaunts in the city's popular Kensington Market attract about as much attention as anyone else's—but whatever see-and-be-seen attitude the city does hold surges to a fever pitch during the annual International Film Festival. This year marks the 36th edition of TIFF, and whether you're looking to rub elbows with Clooney & Co. or want to duck away from the hubbub for low-key cocktails and charcuterie, the following list offers some of the best that Toronto has to offer."

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original source LA Times

Canada's banks among the world's safest

Global Finance Wednesday, August 31, 2011

7 Canadian banks have made Global Finance Magazine's " 20th Annual Ranking of the World’s 50 Safest Banks". Royal Bank (number 11 on the list) and TD Canada Trust (number 13) were the highest rated Canadian banks in a list that evaluates financial institutions based on long-term credit ratings.

"With more than 40 of the top 50 banks from last year once again making the list, the Global Finance ranking shows that most of the top echelon of banks are truly worthy of the moniker World’s Safest Bank. Winners were selected through an evaluation of long-term credit ratings—from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch—and total assets of the 500 largest banks worldwide."

"Global Finance’s annual ranking of World’s 50 Safest Banks is a recognized and trusted standard of creditworthiness for the entire financial world. “Counterparty creditworthiness is a critical issue for companies and investors worldwide,” says Global Finance publisher Joseph D. Giarraputo. “More than ever, companies around the world are reevaluating the long-term credit strength of their banks, and partnering with only those banks that have proven strength and stability.”

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original source Global Finance