A recent Ontario Chamber of Commerce report, Emerging Stronger: A Transformative Agenda for Ontario, outlines the lagging productivity levels of Canada and Ontario in comparison with its U.S. and OECD counterparts. This panel discussion explores how communities can collaborate to foster an innovation culture with strategic business, non-profit, academic and political partners.

This special keynote and panel discussion is made possible through partnership among the Chamber Executives of Ontario, Guelph Chamber of Commerce, Council of Ontario Universities and the Ontario Economic Summit (OES) and is an amalgamation of the OES Connect to Innovate initiative and Pulse on Innovation series.

WHAT:  Making Innovation Tangible: An Innovation Breakfast and Panel Discussion

WHO:  Kevin Hall, Vice President (Research), University of Guelph

Tim Feil, Manager, Linex Manufacturing (Division of Linamar Corporation)

Matt Rendall, CEO, Clearpath Robotics

Todd Letts, President, Chamber Executives of Ontario

Erin Skimson, Director, Business Development, University of Guelph

Karen Farbridge, Mayor, City of Guelph

Kirk Roberts, Executive Director, Innovation Guelph

Lloyd Longfield, President & CAO, Guelph Chamber of Commerce

WHEN:    Thursday, February 2, 2012: 7:45-9:45 a.m.

WHERE:   Delta Guelph Hotel, 50 Stone Road West, Guelph, Ontario, N1G 0A9

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Ontario Economic Summit Connect To Innovate: http://occ-oes.com/connect-to-innovate

The new report, Emerging Stronger, identifies five key strategic priorities for Ontario, and the concrete steps necessary to make Ontario more competitive, productive, and globally connected.

“Ontario has an extraordinary economic future,” says Len Crispino, President & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. “To reach our full potential we must realistically identify the challenges we face, take leadership in advancing productivity, skills development and fiscal responsibility, and mobilize our enormous competitive advantages in the global economy.”

The report comes at a time when Ontario faces a major turning point in its economic history. The economic downturn, high levels of government and consumer debt, the relative decline of the U.S. economy, and new patterns of global competition and cooperation pose a new set of challenges and opportunities for the province.

 “We are transitioning away from many of the old industries that were the foundations of Ontario’s prosperity for generations while the global economy is undergoing a geopolitical re-ordering,” says Matthew Mendelsohn, Director of the Mowat Centre.

Neither consumer nor government spending in North America can be counted on to kick start to economic growth, adds Mendelsohn.

The report notes that federal and provincial governments, along with the private sector and other actors, must align their goals and focus on areas where Ontario holds competitive advantages in the global economy.

At a time when the Ontario government is looking to curb spending and implement reforms, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and the Mowat Centre, supported by Leger Marketing, are pleased to add the voice of Ontario’s business and civic leaders to the debate through this report.

 Emerging Stronger is based on broad consultation with Ontario’s business, government,and civic leaders, with feedback from participants at the Ontario Economic Summit.

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To read the entire report, please click here: http://occ.on.ca/economic-vision/

“Appointing an experienced advocate who has been very active within the Chamber movement will help ensure that the voice of Ontario businesses and chambers is heard,” said David Sword, Chair of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “This is of particular importance in light of a shifting global economy and renewed fiscal restraint at all three levels of government. It is a time when the priorities of businesses need to continue to be advanced.”

Allan most recently held the position of Director of External Relations (Ontario), and National Private Markets for GlaxoSmithKline Canada Inc.

He is a past President and Chair of the Board of the Canadian Club of Toronto, has served for five years on the Board of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and is active on the boards of Life Sciences Ontario (LSO), as well as the Greater Toronto Civic Action Alliance.

With over 25 years experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, Allan has served the industry association as a regional Vice-Chair and is currently the Chair of the National Private Payer Committee for Canada’s Researched Based Pharmaceutical Companies.

Allan holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Trent University and an MBA from the Rotman School of Business at the University of Toronto.

Allan will assume his role at the OCC effective early February, 2012.

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About the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC): The OCC is a network of 160 local chambers of commerce and boards of trade in the Province of Ontario, representing 60,000 businesses of all sizes, in all economic sectors and from every area of the Province. Being recognized as the single, most influential and respected voice for business in Ontario, OCC’s over-arching goal is to build a world renowned business environment that creates a more competitive Ontario.

President Clinton served the United States for eight years during a time of unprecedented prosperity and change. Now, President Clinton is a powerful voice for progress around the world as he shares his unique insights and observations with audiences around the world.

“We are very excited to welcome President Clinton to the Ontario Economic Summit,” says Len Crispino, President & CEO of the Ontario of Commerce. “President Clinton is a world-renowned leader and it is only fitting that he join Ontario’s leaders who gather at the Summit every year to discuss this province’s future. We are also very pleased to be able to open up this opportunity to the public and anyone wishing to hear President Clinton speak.”

President Clinton’s public speech, ‘Embracing Our Common Humanity’, describes the challenge of globalization, emphasizes our growing interdependence, and points the way toward a common future based on shared goals and values. These progressive and future-focused ideas lend to the theme of this year’s Ontario Economic Summit, Towards Ontario’s Next Great Era.

The two-day Summit agenda topics include Innovation in Health Care Delivery, Ontario’s Energy Future and Championing Our Urban Regions.

Event information can be found at http://www.occ-oes.ca/summit-2011.

For tickets to President Clinton’s “Embracing our Common Humanity” keynote speech, please visit http://ontarioeconomicsummit.com.

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No interview or other media opportunities are available at the Keynote Address by President Clinton.

Co-chairing the 2011 OES are Laura Formusa, President and CEO of Hydro One and Mary Jo Haddad President and CEO of The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids).

From November 21- 23 at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto, OES delegates will have the rare opportunity to listen to five outstanding keynote speakers throughout the OES, including:

• President Bill Clinton, Founder of the William J. Clinton Foundation and 42nd President of the United States, (Special event at Massey Hall)
• The Honourable Mayor Richard M. Daley, Former Mayor of Chicago and Of Counsel, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
• Parag Khanna, Director, Global Governance Initiative and Senior Research Fellow in the American Strategy Program New America Foundation
• Dr. Bernard Kouchner, Co-founder and Former President, Doctors Without Borders Former Minister (Foreign Affairs, Health), France
• Stephen G. Snyder, President and CEO, TransAlta Corporation

Other speakers at the 8th Annual OES include:

• Laurent Auguste, President and CEO, Veolia Water Americas
• Roland Aurich, President and CEO, Siemens Canada Limited
• John Cruickshank, Publisher, The Toronto Star
• Jan Dressel, President and CEO, Soventix Canada Inc.
• James Eddy, General Manager, Energy, Vale Canada
• Fred Eisenberger, President and CEO, Canadian Urban Institute
• Tyler Elm, Vice President, Business Sustainability, Corporate Strategy & Business Development, Canadian Tire Corporation
• Will Falk, Executive Fellow in Residence, Health Policy and Public Sector Transformation, Mowat Centre
• Dr. David Gratzer, Senior Fellow, The Manhattan Institute of Public Policy
• The Honourable Frances Lankin, Commissioner, Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario
• Dr. Stewart Kennedy, President and CEO, Ontario Medical Association
• The Honourable Frances Lankin, Commissioner, Commission for the Review of Social Assistance in Ontario
• Dr. Jatin Nathwani, Professor and Ontario Research Chair in Public Policy and Sustainable Energy Management, University of Waterloo
• Hugh O’Neill, President and CEO, Sanofi Canada
• Barbara M. Pitts, Associate Partner and National Leader of the Health Care Services Group, PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited
• Dr. Michael Rachlis, Health Policy Analyst and Associate Professor, University of Toronto
• Helen Stevenson, President and CEO, Reformulary Group Inc.
• Janeen Stodulski, President and CEO, PowerWatch
• Chief Angus Toulouse, Regional Chief of Ontario, Assembly of First Nations
• David West, Partner, Mercer (Canada) Limited
• Mel Ydreos, Chairman, Task Force, Geopolitics and Natural Gas, International Gas Union / Vice President, Marketing and Customer Care, Union Gas Limited

The non-partisan OES continues to receive strong support from the Government of Ontario and opposition parties. This year, several key Cabinet ministers and three of Ontario’s political party leaders will participate:

• The Honorable Dalton McGuinty, Premier of Ontario
• Tim Hudak, Leader of the PC Party of Ontario and MPP, Niagara West–Glanbrook
• Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Ontario NDP and MPP, Hamilton Centre

NOTE TO MEDIA: Interview requests for any of the speakers excluding President Clinton can be made directly with the OES. Representatives of accredited media are welcome to attend any or all of the panel sessions. Please register in advance. The Grand Opening Keynote Speech with President Bill Clinton and the Roundtables with Ontario Cabinet Ministers are closed to Media.

Full speaker and event information can be found at http://www.occ-oes.ca/summit-2011.

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On September 8th, U.S. President Barack Obama proposed a $450 billion American Jobs Act. Section 4 of the bill, referred to as the Buy American clause, stipulates that all public projects funded by the stimulus use only American produced iron, steel and manufactured goods. Foreign substitutes for American-made products would only be allowed if the American content drove up the cost of a project by 25 percent or if the goods needed for the project are not manufactured or available in the U.S.

If the bill passes in its current form, Canadian business suppliers would be excluded from the $140 billion that is earmarked in this bill for infrastructure and public works projects.

“Ontario businesses are directly impacted by access, or lack thereof, to the American procurement market,” stated Len Crispino, OCC President and CEO. “When trade barriers go up, key industries across Ontario see exports, investment and jobs go down.”

“Of the $3.9 billion in iron and steel products exported from Canada to the U.S. in 2010, $2.4 billion came from Ontario,” Crispino added. “We must continue to work with the United States to strengthen our integrated economies and to develop solutions that are beneficial to both parties.”

The OCC hopes the U.S. and Canadian governments reach an agreement that will contribute to a sustainable trade relationship and foster a prosperous economy on both sides of the border.

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Rick Campanelli and Kim D’Eon from Entertainment Tonight Canada hosted the Ontario Chamber of Commerce annual event and almost 500 attendees welcomed Donald Trump Jr. as the keynote speaker. It was a star-studded evening with high profile winners and nominees as well.

Costco Wholesale and Staples Canada took home awards in the large business category while the spotlight was on Hunter Amenities International Ltd. and MapleCore Ltd. in the small business grouping.

Creative thinking was celebrated throughout the evening as ESRI Canada and Dallata Consulting Group, Ltd. won the OBAA Innovation Award and the Ontario Global Trader Award – HSBC Bank Canada Award for Innovation – Exports, respectively.

To honour best business practices, RDH Mining Equipment received the Ontario Global Trader Award for market expansion and Northern Superior Resources took the ICAO Corporate Governance OBAA.

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce was proud to present the 29th Annual Ontario Business Achievement Awards in Toronto as part of their centennial celebration. To learn more about the event, visit obaa.ca.

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Rick Campanelli and Kim D’Eon from Entertainment Tonight Canada will host the Ontario Chamber of Commerce annual event and almost 500 attendees will welcome Donald Trump Jr. as the keynote speaker. It will be a star-studded evening with high profile winners and nominees as well.

Interview time slots with Donald Trump Jr. are available pre-event (same day) and limited space is available at the event itself for media wishing to record and/or report on keynote address, award-winning companies and overall event developments.

WHAT:     Ontario Business Achievement Awards (OBAA), featuring the Ontario Global Traders Awards (OGTA)

WHO:      Len Crispino, President & CEO, Ontario Chamber of Commerce; Donald Trump Jr., Executive Vice-President of the Trump Organization

WHEN:     Monday, September 26^th, 2011 at 6:00pm

WHERE:   Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building

The Government of Ontario, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, Desjardins, HSBC Bank Canada, GlaxoSmithKline and RBC Royal Bank are proud sponsors of the 29^th Annual Ontario Business Achievement Awards. Visit obaa.ca for event information.

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TORONTO:

Businesses across the province participated in record numbers in the Ontario Chamber of Commerce’s 2011 Pre-Election Business Survey. The survey identifies policy priorities most integral to the province’s economic prosperity. Overall, the results revealed that steering Ontario’s economy through tough economic times will require political leaders to redouble their focus on reducing red tape and bringing down the deficit. However GTA businesses made it clear that transportation was at the top of their list.

The GTA transportation network plays a critical role in Ontario’s growth and economic development. Studies indicate that the demand for travel will exceed the capacity of the existing regional transportation network over the next two decades. The result will be increased congestion, constrained economic growth, higher fuel consumption and air pollution, and a lower quality of life.

GTA businesses use the 400 series highways and regional transit on a daily basis for going to and from work and moving goods across the region. Businesses realize from a highway safety and traffic congestion standpoint the need for increased transportation and transit capabilities to properly and safely service the residents, businesses, and industry located in the GTA region. Better integrating GTA-Hamilton transit systems, expanding inter-city bus and rail services, and investing in the road network (such as the 407 extension) were raised as key areas for improvement by GTA employers.

GTA Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade (listed below) together with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, urge candidates in all parties to make transportation investment a key consideration in the lead up to the October 6th election and a strategic aspect of the new government’s mandate. We look forward to working with the new government to strengthen our transportation network and future competitiveness.

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“Millions of jobs are dependent on cross border trade,” said Len Crispino, OCC President & CEO. “And when you consider that on average $1.6 million crosses the Canada-US border on a daily basis, it is clear that infrastructure surrounding future trade hubs like the Detroit-Windsor crossing is extremely important to the overall health and growth of the province.”

The OCC is supportive of government plans to build an Ontario-Michigan crossing in the Windsor-Detroit corridor and acknowledges this border crossing involves more than just the crossing itself. Complementary infrastructure needs to be constructed to facilitate the crossing on both sides of the border.

While some have tried to stall the project, the OCC is confident of DRIC’s role in creating a more efficient border system for the province and encouraging the growth of industry and tourism. Efficiency makes Ontario a destination for talent and investment, which in turn means jobs and economic growth.

“Decreasing congestion and increasing efficiency for the safe movement of goods and people is major concern for businesses and the jobs that they support,” Crispino insisted. “We encourage legislators of all political stripes on both sides of the border to make the necessary approvals and bring together the appropriate assets needed to get this crossing built.”

The OCC stands with its members, such as the Ontario Trucking Association, and the entire provincial business community in support of the Detroit River International Crossing and the accompanying infrastructure it requires to bring growth and prosperity to both Michigan and Ontario.

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