In The News

A computerized subway-control system developed by Toronto's Thales Rail Signalling Solutions Inc. could revolutionize the way subways operate around the world. Thales Rail, the Toronto division of France's aerospace-and-defence "giant" Thales Group, is currently perfecting a subway-control system that allows computers to automatically drive subway trains and co-ordinate train scheduling.

"The systems, pioneered in Toronto, use radio-transmission technology in subway trains to control their speed and track how far apart the trains are. This allows them to safely run much more closely together � as frequently as 90 seconds apart � than those that use human drivers. Thales says its automated technology can stop a subway train within 10 centimetres of its target."

"The virtual versions in Toronto allow Thales to test new features and work out kinks for its clients, transit agencies from Asia to America. With the press of a button, engineers can simulate a delay caused by a jammed subway door in rush hour. The computer quickly takes over, automatically rescheduling trains to run closer together to clear the growing crowds of waiting passengers."

"We can do all sorts of scenarios here," says Walter Kinio, the firm's director of research and development. "If something breaks on the train, if there's a physical problem with the train, the system has to react to that. We can do all of those tests here."

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original source CTV News

The Toronto Star writes on Toronto entrepreneur Susan Ho, founder of Tea Aura Inc., a cookie company that specializes in tea-infused shortbread.  Ho founded Tea Aura Inc. in 2008 with the help of the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit Program and the Toronto Food Business Incubator. Two years later her cookies are being carried at over 200 retailers across Canada and the United States.

"In 2007, Ho applied to the Ontario Self-Employment Benefit Program, which offers business classes, for help developing a business plan and support from a mentor. When Ho joined the program, she initially planned to open a tea shop where she would sell tea-flavoured cookies. While developing her business plan, she realized setting up a tea shop would require a large amount of capital. She switched her focus to starting a tea-flavoured cookie business, which had lower startup costs."

"Ho brought her revised business plan to Enterprise Toronto, which provides free business plan consultations. A consultant suggested Ho contact the Toronto Food Business Incubator, a non-profit organization that runs a shared commercial kitchen for entrepreneurs. By April 2008, Ho was in the incubator's kitchen twice a week developing recipes."

"The Toronto Food Business Incubator, which has a table at the St. Lawrence Market where clients can sell their wares, also gave Ho a chance to test her products. In July 2008, a month before Tea Aura launched, Ho spent several Saturdays at the market selling her cookies."

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original source Toronto Star

Canada has officially surpassed the UK in the video-game development industry. As reported by UK tech blog ThinQ.co.uk, Canada is now the world's third largest centre for video-game development, just behind the US and Japan.

"Responding to the news, Gerry Pisarzowski, vice president of business development for the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance, said: "our job now is to add to our tremendous home-grown crop of companies and help demonstrate that Ontario is a prime destination in North America for gaming investments."

"According to the Ontario Technology Corridor, Ontario offers a number of incentives to the games development industry, including the following: Intellectual property development fund - refunds 30 per cent of eligible early stage development costs to bring "screen-based content properties" closer to production."

"...There was nothing inevitable about this process," says Wilson (CEO of UK gaming trade association TIGA). "Canadian policy makers simply took the farsighted decision to create an attractive environment to do games business, in particular, through the provision of generous tax breaks."

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original source ThinQ.co.uk

By July of 2011 Toronto will be the home of North America's largest flagstaff. As reported by the Globe & Mail, the mayor's executive committee has unanimously backed a plan to build a125-metre flag pole bearing a Canadian flag "the size of a football field ". The flagstaff, to be located near Finch Avenue West and Highway 400, is supported by the local Business Improvement Area who have agreed to raise a levy in order to finance the $3 million dollar project.

"Because our community is made up immigrants ... they have decided to celebrate being a Canadian," Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, the project's champion, said after the vote Monday."

"The executive committee voted to authorize city staff to negotiate with the Emery Village Business Improvement Area and the owner of the proposed site, a nearly 5-acre parcel at 1111 Arrow Road.The Emery Village BIA, which represents about 2,500 business owners, has agreed to raise a special levy over two years to pay for the estimated $2.5-million cost of the flag and pole and the $1-million of fixing up the site at the base of the pole."

"The full council still has to approve the flag proposal later this month.Mr. Mammoliti said he hopes city staff can work out a deal with the land owner and the BIA in time for the first council meeting after the election in January.If all goes as planned, he said, the flag will rise on July 1, 2011."

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original source Globe & Mail

The Toronto Star writes on the city's Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute. Located on Greater Toronto Airport Authority lands, the institute will soon become the only accredited private fire-fighting college in Canada. The concrete, steel and glass complex was designed by architects Carol Kleinfeldt and Roman Mychajlowycz and is, according to Toronto Star architecture critic Christoper Hume "one of the most compelling examples of contemporary architecture to appear in some time."

"�the institute takes a pragmatic, even prosaic, program and turns it into something elegant, exciting yet supremely practical. The project is an architectural tour de force, a demonstration in concrete, steel and glass of how design can make the world a more interesting if not a better place."

"The main structure, which rises at an angle from the ground on one side, is gently sloped on the opposite to allow for an expansive green roof. The building is a really a series of buildings, long, thin and connected. The budget, $13 million, didn't allow for empty flourishes or deluxe materials. Many of the walls are concrete block. Small details such as oxygen tubing and light fixtures provide the occasion for decoration."

"Architecturally, the significance of the project goes beyond its utility. What matters most is process, not product. Of course, the facility serves its purpose, but it does so with a strong sense that various subtexts can also be addressed. That means anything from the landscape itself to the innate human desire to be engaged with one's surroundings."

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original source Toronto Star

Toronto nightclub owner and entrepreneur Charles Khabouth, arguably "the most powerful man in Toronto's entertainment district" is embarking on his largest project yet. As reported by the Toronto Star, Khabouth is in the process of building a $150-million boutique hotel and condominium on Blues Jays Way in the heart of the King West district. Named Bisha, the complex will have a nightclub-y feel with two themed floors and 30,000 square feet devoted to amenities.

"Khabouth, 49, grew up in Lebanon. Even though he has couture tastes � he owned his own Hugo Boss boutique, drove a Ferrari and his wife is a former model � Khabouth wears a signature dark urban safari jacket and could easily be mistaken for a bike courier."

"He worked three jobs in high school; his first was at a McDonald's. When he was 22, he started his first nightclub with a $30,000 loan. He hit it big when he used the proceeds from his first venture to rent a decrepit space at Richmond and Duncan in 1986, creating what would become the city's entertainment district."

"The privately owned INK generates now more than $30 million in revenues annually, according to Khabouth. It owns and operates the massive Guvernment and Kool Haus nightclub complex on the city's waterfront, the largest such venue in Canada with more than 50,000 square feet on the main floor, and the This Is London nightclub in the entertainment district. It also owns the Dragonfly Nightclub in Casino Niagara and a string of restaurants, including Ultra Supper Club on Queen Street and Spice Route, an Asian-influenced bistro bar on King Street West."

"This year, Khabouth is finally being recognized by the mainstream business community. He is on the short list of nominees for an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award."

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original source Toronto Star

Business without Borders interviews Rana Sarkar, Executive officer of the Canada-India Business Council. Sarkar discusses the expansion of Canadian companies to India and why this means opportunities for growth and innovation for Canadian businesses. An excerpt from the interview:

"What is the appeal of the Indian market to Canadian businesses?"

"There are two drivers of interest in India � market access and innovation. It's becoming clear that, despite how well we've done relative to our OECD peers coming out of the great recession, the key to Canada's 21st century prosperity is diversification. Not because we're betting against the U.S., but we recognize the rise of the rest. The big markets of scale and the ones offering stable growth in our lifetimes will be in India, China, Brazil, with a number of other high-growth emerging countries not far behind. These countries are adding millions to the middle class every month and will bring billions of people into cities and into the global economy in the next decade. They're building infrastructure in years that it took centuries to build elsewhere. India is particularly interesting for Canadians because it's growing at 8 to 10 per cent a year largely off the back of domestic consumer demand � not government."

"Many people, when they consider India, think of sending back-office functions offshore, or using low-cost labour or supplies.The second reason Canadian companies are looking at India is low-cost innovation, but in my view the India story has evolved well past the back-office outsourcing. It's now about the Tata Nano, the $100 iPad equivalent, medical devices at 10 per cent of cost. Canadian companies are following this story closely and are starting to get involved with Indian companies if just not to be left out. Our mindset with India is also starting to change. A decade ago, a Canadian CEO would step off a plane in Delhi and see problems; now they see opportunity, and often an international competitor at the check-in desk. India has also gotten a bit easier for us. Its government and business class is more global in outlook and it stands out amongst the big emerging players as a democratic, English-speaking, common-law-based market where we can drop in and do business without a translator."

"So you are seeing more interest from Canadian businesses that want to expand there?"

"Definitely. A decade ago India was far from front-of-mind for Canadian business leaders, for a bunch of good reasons; India wasn't there yet, and, more importantly, you could get fatter returns in less complex markets closer to home. Even then there were trailblazers � Sun Life, Bombardier, Scotiabank and the EDC have been established in India for decades. Law firms like Bennett Jones, Torys and Heenan Blaikie have spent years building A-grade networks and are now key connectors. But in recent months, we're seeing a dramatic uptick in interest. Cameco, AECL and the rest of the nuclear supply chain are moving into the market now that we have the nuclear agreement in place. In technology, RIM and Open Text are becoming key players. Brookfield, the CPP and CDP have all made investments, and BMO has established a strong India practice. Like in any big market, seeding relationships and building granular market understanding takes years of effort, and the bulk of corporate Canada is at the beginning stages, but if they stick to the strategy this will pay dividends in the high-growth years ahead."

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original source Business without Borders

The Globe & Mail looks at the "greening" of Canada's largest cities; municipal governments across the country continue to take bold steps to create cleaner more sustainable urban environments. In Toronto this has meant, among other initiatives, an increase in green architecture and more downtown bike lanes.

"Concerns about the environment have topped opinion polls for the last five to 10 years, says Pascoal Gomes, a spokesman for Montreal's Urban Ecology Centre."

"But in ever-increasing numbers, people � and cities � are acting on those concerns."

"I think people are waking up to the fact that while we might still be OK, our children and grandchildren might not be," said Beate Bowron, a consultant with the Canadian Institute of Planners."

"...Some buildings in Toronto are being built without any parking whatsoever. There's a building on University Avenue, a condo development, that's being built with no parking. That's fairly radical," she said."

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original source Globe & Mail

Regina Sheung, owner of the successful Yonge Street fashion boutique Propaganda, has opened up a new and entirely different kind of shop in Toronto's Cabbage Town neighbourhood. Sheung's new boutique, Labour of Love, sells an eclectic mix of goods, from handmade jewellery to irreverent greeting cards to antique furniture. The National Post interviews Sheung on her decision to open the new store and its early success. An excerpt:

"Yonge and Bloor is an amazing neighbourhood and Propaganda is great, but I've been doing it for a while," Sheung says of the challenge of opening a second, very different boutique. "I wanted to be a bit more sophisticated." She's going to be more creative, "push the boundary a little bit. Most retail stores you really need to jam-pack the shelves but here I'm able to have big space and displays."

"When I opened Propaganda, I was very scared and didn't know what to expect," she says, "but now I am even more scared because I know what it takes! It's like a roller-coaster ride, but you have to hold your breath and just let it go."

"Roller-coaster, or second baby. "I'm here all the time, trying to meet everybody and learn what I should buy for the store," she says. "You have to. A buyer cannot be just a buyer, you have to work the floor, engage with people, what size are they, get to know what they like, what age they are, so you make the fewest buying mistakes possible."

"Although, Sheung adds philosophically, "you make your own mistakes, but you earn your own success."

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original source National Post

Two York University scientists have made important advances in our understanding of how orangutans communicate. As reported by the Guardian UK, psychologist Anne Russon and philosopher Kristin Andrews discovered, after analyzing 20 years of video footage, that orangutans can use mime to communicate. The study is important as it suggests that the apes "are capable of more complex communication than previously thought".

"The study, published in the Biology Letters journal, suggests miming is rare in wild orangutans, but is used when other forms of communication fail."

"Andrews said: "Great apes' ability to engage in rudimentary narrative communication suggests to us that, like humans, they are able to make sense of their world by telling stories, and to relay their thoughts about the world to others."Previous studies have described a gorilla acting as though it was rolling a ball of clay between her hands, which was interpreted as meaning "clay". A language-trained orangutan was also observed blowing through its thumb and forefinger to express the word "balloon"."

"The researchers write: "These orangutan and other great ape pantomime cases indicate that pantomime serves multiple purposes and supports important communicative complexities in living great apes. For great apes, like humans, pantomime is a medium, not a message."

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original source Guardian UK

As reported by Quill & Quire the Toronto Women's Bookstore has officially reopened. The former not-for-profit has been on a three-month hiatus after financial problems almost forced a permanent closure. The bookstore was rescued by new owner Victoria Moreno who has transformed the store into traditional for-profit operation.

"Currently, Moreno is installing a caf� with seating and WiFi access at the back of the first floor. The second floor, which used to house overstock, texts for course orders, and six employee workstations, is being redesigned to allow for more shelf space and tables for patrons. Moreno says she hopes to have both additions up and running by the fall."

"At the moment, the store is pretty bare, and Moreno is able to employ only one part-time staffer. But she says patrons have been enthusiastic, buying titles and even offering to help out. And despite the slow start and low stock, events are already booked through October. The kick-off event, slated for Aug. 12, is the launch of a new film studies title, Rape in Art Cinema, edited by Dominique Russell."

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original source Quill & Quire

Last weekend marked the forty-third anniversary of Toronto's annual Caribana parade. As reported by Torontoist, as many as 1.2 million people gathered along Lakeshore Boulevard for one of the city's most elaborate and well-attended street parties. 

"The parade was punctuated by elaborate floats�delicate fabric constructions built to resemble enormous, ornate dresses�each of which was pulled by a single person. Most were done up in bright, festive colours, presumably to celebrate Caribbean heritage and culture. One of them was done up in black, with a familiar winged, oval-shaped logo on top, presumably to celebrate Batman. Between the floats was the traditional sea of colourful costumes and colourful exposed skin."

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original source Torontoist

The Toronto Star writes on Keep Leaf, a Toronto company that designs stylish eco-friendly products. Founded by Torontonian Jaswinder Salh, Keep Leaf sells a range of green products but is best known for its reusable bags, currently sold at more than 50 stores across Ontario.

"Salh launched Keep Leaf with two products. The Shopper is a polyester reusable shopping bag, which conveniently folds up into a small pouch. It comes in a variety of solid colours from navy to pink and retails for $6.95."

"The Produce Bag, used for storing fruits, vegetables and bulk items, comes in mesh and solid weave fabrics, two different sizes and either polyester or cotton. A set of four cotton produce bags costs $16.95."

"Early on, Salh turned to her contacts in the retail and fashion industry for feedback, which helped shaped the brand. She ensured Keep Leaf products had streamlined packaging and stylish display options. "In order for consumers to choose reusable over the convenience of disposable, the reusable product must entice with more than just its green credentials," Salh says."

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original source Toronto Star

The Toronto Star interviews James R. Graham, world-renowned astronomer and the new director University of Toronto's Dunlap Institute. Now entering its third year the Dunlap Institute is a research and public outreach program hosted by UofT's School of Astronomy and Astrophysics. Graham, who has worked for the past 18 years at the University of California, Berkley, is coming to Dunlap to spearhead the institute's role in what could be the most important astronomical initiatives of the decade, the $800 million Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) project. The (TMT), expected to be fully operational in 2018, is to be the largest telescope ever built. An excerpt from the interview:

"You made your name as an astronomer through discoveries made with adaptive optics. What are they?"

"Adaptive optics is a system for a telescope on the ground that first measures how the Earth's atmosphere distorts images � think of viewing a distant scene through the hot air rising from asphalt on a sunny day � and then corrects these distortions to make the images sharp."

anets are, and what is the process that leads to their formation.

"Tell me about the Thirty Metre Telescope."

"It's one of the major initiatives in astronomy over the next decade, a successor to the current generation of large telescopes. The scale of modern astronomy projects is such that individual countries can't build the next generation. The fact that Canada is a partner is a testament to the boldness of the vision of the leaders of Canadian astronomy. It will provide a very strong motivation for students to go into the physical sciences."

"One primary thing the Dunlap Institute can do is understand how to use it. We'll have to design specific instruments to collect and record that information. It will provide crucial opportunities to educate students in state-of-the-art technologies."

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original source Toronto Star

By the end of next month Toronto will be home to North America's greenest hostel. As reported by the Globe & Mail (and by Yonge Street back in February), Kensington Market's Planet Traveller is on schedule to complete an impressive $160,000 green renovation. The focal point of the project will be its underground geothermal heating-and-cooling system: eight loops of geothermal piping drilled into an adjacent street that will serve almost all of the hostel's energy needs.

"When the doors to North America's greenest hostel opens next month at 357 College St., the most exciting feature won't be anywhere inside, but instead 115 metres below ground in the adjacent alleyway. That's where the glycol liquid in eight geothermal loops will turn the corner and start heading back above ground to heat or cool the hostel."

"Once you get three metres underground, the earth stays a constant 10 degrees Celsius all year. This is a source of relative heat in the winter and cold in the summer. The system exploits the temperature discrepancy by using small amounts of electricity to pump glycol through the underground pipes and collect that heat or cold. Heat exchangers inside the hostel pull the heat or cold from the glycol and send as much as is needed into the rooms."

"The hostel is hoping to attract young visitors from overseas looking for a cheap doss and a communal living scene. Dorms will be $30 a night and rooms will go for $70. Utility bills should follow close on the heels of the first guests, but with expected savings of up to $2,000 a month, the owners expect to have the investment paid off within eight years. After that, it's green gravy. By that time, a geothermal drilling rig might be a more common sight in Toronto. Mr. Rand had to go through 14 city departments to get permits for the pipe installation, but the city has since set up a task force to streamline geothermal development in city-owned alleyways and parkland."

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original source Globe & Mail